BITS Pilani Hyderabad Startup Ahuti Mk II Sets Record With 498 km/h Speed

Apollyon Dynamics, a defence technology startup incubated at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, has entered the India Book of Records after its Ahuti Mk II electric interceptor achieved a certified top speed of 498 km/h. The achievement earned the Hyderabad-based company national recognition for the Maximum Speed Achieved by a Multirotor UAV.

The record-setting aircraft was developed under the leadership of co-founders Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhary, along with a development team comprising Aman Virani, Manas Vichare, and Ishaan Suri.

The Ahuti Mk II evolved directly from its predecessor platform, the original Ahuti, which had clocked approximately 300 km/h in 2025. Rather than implementing minor modifications, the engineering team rebuilt the platform entirely from the ground up to create a high-speed interceptor tailored specifically to counter hostile drones and loitering munitions.

The redesign delivered a major performance boost, raising the top speed from 300 km/h to a certified 498 km/h in less than a year—a 66 per cent increase. The development was heavily influenced by modern aerial combat, particularly the operational threats posed by inexpensive, mass-deployed loitering hardware such as Shahed-class drones.

Highlighting the importance of velocity in counter-drone operations, co-founders Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhary noted that speed is the decisive factor between neutralising an incoming threat and allowing it to penetrate defences, adding that 498 km/h ensures the interceptor wins that race.

Having already fielded operational systems with the Indian Army, Apollyon Dynamics is now planning further technological developments. The startup has set its sights on developing a high-capacity power cruise missile platform by 2030 to advance indigenous unmanned defence capabilities.