Look who’s making kamikaze drones for Army: Two 20-yr-old engineering students
In an extraordinary example of student-led defense innovation, Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhury, both 20-year-old undergraduates from BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus, have created radar-evading kamikaze drones—built initially inside their hostel room.
Their startup, Apollyon Dynamics, launched barely two months ago, has already secured orders from multiple Indian Army units stationed in Jammu, Chandimandir (Haryana), Panagarh (West Bengal), and Arunachal Pradesh.
How It All Began
The duo’s inspiration came after incidents like the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, which highlighted India’s reliance on imported drone technology. Determined to make a difference, they began piecing together parts bought online, eventually building a UAV capable of flying at 300 km/h and carrying a 1 kg payload.
From Cold Emails to Army Contracts
Their initial attempts to reach defense officials through LinkedIn and email brought no results—until a senior Army officer invited them to Chandigarh for a live demonstration. The successful test flights there opened the door to multiple procurement requests.
What Makes These Drones Stand Out
- High-speed performance: 300 km/h top speed
- Stealth features: Radar-evading design
- Versatility: Both VTOL (Vertical Take-Off & Landing) and fixed-wing variants under development
- User-friendly: Training provided to soldiers, including first-time drone operators
Scaling Up Operations
With lab space and support from their institute, the team has grown to six members—each also in their second year. They are working on expanding production and refining designs to suit varied Army requirements.
Recognition and Encouragement
Faculty members, including Prof. Sanket Goel, have lauded the students for taking a project from the classroom to the battlefield in record time. Their innovation has even been showcased to high-profile figures like Kumar Mangalam Birla.
In short – Within just weeks, two engineering students have moved from assembling drones in a hostel room to supplying cutting-edge, indigenous kamikaze UAVs to Indian Army units across the country—a clear sign that India’s defense innovation is increasingly being powered by its youth.
