Hyderabad Defence Startup Apollyon Dynamics Raises ₹4 Crore Pre-Seed at ₹25 Crore Valuation
Apollyon Dynamics, a Hyderabad-based defence-tech startup founded in a BITS Pilani hostel room, has raised ₹4 crore in a pre-seed funding round, achieving a post-money valuation of ₹25 crore. The round was led by Naandi Ventures, with participation from spacetech founders including Skyroot Aerospace, Dhruva Space, and Agnikul Cosmos .
The startup, founded by 21-year-old engineering students Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhury, has already supplied high-speed kamikaze drones to the Indian Army and developed a mobile drone manufacturing lab currently operational in Jammu .
🚀 Rapid Growth From Hostel Room to Army Supplier
The founders launched Apollyon Dynamics in May 2025 while pursuing their BTech degrees. The startup’s breakthrough came in July 2025, when the Indian Army approached them to develop kamikaze drones capable of speeds exceeding 300 kmph — nearly five times faster than standard commercial UAVs — with precision 1-kg payload delivery capability .
Key milestones achieved within months of founding:
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Army Contract | Kamikaze drones delivered within weeks of approach |
| Mobile Drone Lab | Operational in Jammu, produces 100+ FPV drones/month |
| Team Growth | Expanded from 2 founders to 20-member team |
| Manufacturing Units | Two facilities within 10 km of BITS campus |
| Frontline Training | Army personnel trained to operate the mobile lab |
💡 Mobile Drone Lab: A Strategic Asset
The startup’s most notable achievement is a one-of-a-kind mobile drone manufacturing lab built on the back of an Army truck and deployed in Jammu . Key features include:
- Mobile 3D printer for printing drone frames on-site
- Assembly & manufacturing units for rapid production
- Ground station for mission control
- Production capacity exceeding 100 first-person-view (FPV) drones per month
- Deployable within kilometres of active combat zones
“This means that the Army can now replace lost drones in hours instead of waiting for days or weeks, keeping pace with the fast-changing realities of modern warfare.”
— Jayant Khatri, CEO, Apollyon Dynamics
The lab puts drone manufacturing directly in the hands of soldiers, allowing troops to assemble, maintain, and modify platforms based on real-time battlefield needs — a capability previously seen only in countries like Russia and Ukraine .
The founders have also helped the Army establish a permanent drone lab inside a regiment’s premises in Jammu, creating a powerful combination: a mobile unit that moves with troops and a fixed base for continuous operations .
🤝 Strategic Investors: India’s Spacetech Leaders
The funding round was led by Naandi Ventures, with participation from the founders of three prominent Hyderabad-based spacetech startups:
| Investor | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|
| Skyroot Aerospace | Launched India’s first private rocket (Vikram-S) |
| Dhruva Space | End-to-end satellite solutions provider |
| Agnikul Cosmos | Developing 3D-printed rocket engines |
“These investments bring both capital and collaboration opportunities. At this stage, that support matters as much as the funding.”
— Sourya Choudhury, CTO, Apollyon Dynamics
The support from spacetech founders is particularly significant — it affirms that entrepreneurs who have already made their mark in India’s space sector also believe in Apollyon’s vision for defence technology .
📈 Use of Funds and Growth Plans
The ₹4 crore pre-seed capital will be deployed across several strategic priorities:
- Research & Development: Advancing drone capabilities, speed, reliability, and real-world deployment
- Infrastructure Expansion: Strengthening manufacturing and testing facilities
- In-House Capabilities: Reducing dependence on external vendors
- Talent Acquisition: Hiring skilled engineers to scale the team
- Supply Chain Development: Enhancing production capacity for growing orders
🛡️ Beyond the Army: Expanding Defence Footprint
While the Indian Army remains the primary customer, Apollyon Dynamics is expanding its reach. The startup now supplies drones to BSF units and private defence partners, with plans to scale manufacturing for export to global markets .
The founders’ vision extends beyond immediate contracts. “The core problem we saw was speed — of programmes and platforms. Defence drone development cycles are slow, often lagging behind shifting battlefield needs,” Khatri noted in an interview . Through high-performance FPV drones and continuous engagement with forces, they are focused on closing that gap.
The startup’s product lineup includes:
- Trainer drones for pilot training
- Multi-role drones for diverse missions
- Tactical drones with waypoint navigation
- Long-range autonomous UAVs
- High-speed kamikaze systems (flagship product)
🎓 The Founders: Engineers With Deep Roots
Both founders have been building drones since before college. Khatri has been creating robots since Grade 5, while Choudhury focused on aircraft and drone design . They co-founded the BITS Hyderabad Defence Technology Society (Vidrohi Systems) before launching Apollyon.
Notably, they benefit from BITS Pilani’s 0% attendance policy, allowing them to pursue their startup full-time while completing their dual-degree programmes (Khatri in mechanical engineering, Choudhury in electronics) .
🔮 What This Means for India’s Defence-Tech Ecosystem
Apollyon Dynamics’ rapid rise reflects a broader shift in India’s defence innovation landscape. The startup:
- Demonstrates how student-led ventures can contribute to national security
- Shows the power of rapid, agile development cycles compared to traditional defence procurement
- Highlights Hyderabad’s emergence as a deep-tech and defence innovation hub
- Represents a new generation of founders building indigenous defence capabilities
The funding round and mobile drone lab deployment represent early validation of a startup that moved from concept to field deployment in months — a pace that traditional defence contractors rarely achieve.
With the fresh capital and backing from India’s leading spacetech entrepreneurs, Apollyon Dynamics is positioned to scale its impact on India’s defence capabilities while building a template for how student-led innovation can serve national security.
