In a remarkable display of ingenuity, two engineering students from BITS Pilani Hyderabad have made significant strides in national defense with their creation of high-speed kamikaze drones. Jayant Khatri, a mechanical engineering student from Ajmer, and Sourya Choudhury, an electrical engineering student from Kolkata, co-founded their defense-tech startup, Apollyon Dynamics, just two months ago. Their innovative drones are now being procured by the Indian Army and have already been deployed at several military bases across the country, including Jammu, Chandimandir in Haryana, Panagarh in West Bengal, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The kamikaze drones, which can fly at speeds exceeding 300 kilometers per hour— almost five times faster than conventional commercial drones— are designed to carry payloads of up to one kilogram with remarkable precision. What sets these drones apart is their capability to evade radar, making them well-suited for the varied terrains of India. The duo has utilized readily available components to engineer and assemble the drones by hand.
Khatri’s efforts began with cold emails sent to defense personnel, one of which landed a response from a colonel, leading to a live demonstration in Chandigarh. The success of that demonstration sparked interest from Army officials, culminating in procurement orders for the drones.
Choudhury noted that the stealth capabilities of their drones are a significant advantage. “Our drones are not just fast. They’re designed to evade radar and strike with precision,” he explained.
Initially formed as a student robotics club, Apollyon Dynamics has quickly evolved into a fully operational defense-tech enterprise, now boasting a team of six second-year students dedicated to developing next-generation vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and fixed-wing UAVs. This expansion aims to enhance mission flexibility for military operations.
In addition to their development efforts, the team is committed to training Army personnel in drone operation, ensuring that even soldiers with no prior experience can effectively deploy the technology. The drones are engineered for rapid deployment and user-friendliness, even under challenging conditions.
Professor Sanket Goel from BITS Pilani lauded Khatri and Choudhury’s accomplishment as a model of applied innovation, emphasizing that they have successfully transformed theoretical classroom knowledge into tangible real-world applications. The startup’s progress was recently showcased to BITS Chancellor and Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, further elevating their profile in the defense sector.
Looking ahead, Apollyon Dynamics plans to diversify its UAV offerings to encompass longer-range missions, tactical payload delivery, and AI-assisted navigation systems. With the Indian Army already on board as a client, the company’s rapid progression from a hostel room to the forefront of military technology signifies a transformative moment in India’s defense innovation landscape.
Unlike the fictional character Joy Lobo from the movie “3 Idiots,” whose drone never took flight, Khatri and Choudhury have found both support and purpose in their endeavors. Their journey exemplifies how, in contemporary India, cutting-edge technology can emerge from the humble beginnings of a student desk.
