As drones increasingly reshape modern warfare and surveillance worldwide, a Bengaluru startup is pushing technological boundaries by developing one of India’s first amphibious drone platforms capable of operating both in the air and underwater
The startup, AquaAirX, has built a hybrid drone called Avataar, designed to fly through the air, dive into water, operate underwater and then re-emerge to continue aerial missions.
The innovation comes at a time when drones are playing decisive roles in global conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine War and rising tensions involving Iran and Israel, where unmanned systems are widely used for surveillance and targeted strikes.
From college project to defence innovation
The company was founded by aeronautical engineering classmates Gouthami and Jitendra Kumar Purnmal Saini, who studied at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology.
According to the founders, the idea emerged while they were still students building unmanned aerial vehicles for competitions and defence-related projects.
“We started asking ourselves why UAVs should operate only in the air. Why can’t they transition underwater as well?” Gouthami said.
Instead of pursuing conventional corporate careers, the duo chose to develop a hybrid drone platform that could operate across both environments.
Drone designed for multi-environment missions
The Avataar drone is designed to carry payloads of up to 10 kilograms and can be launched from the air before diving into the sea for underwater missions.
The platform is currently undergoing advanced aerial trials and open-water testing after successful pool demonstrations.
According to the developers, the drone is being built with a target operational range of around 175 nautical miles and an endurance of approximately five hours.
It will support modular payloads such as sonar, acoustic sensors and ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) systems.
Interest from defence sector
The startup has been selected under the Innovations for Defence Excellence initiative launched by the Ministry of Defence India.
The founders said the Indian Navy has shown interest in the platform as it could support maritime surveillance and defence operations.
Commercial possibilities beyond defence
Beyond military applications, AquaAirX believes amphibious drones could transform sectors such as marine farming, offshore infrastructure inspection and environmental monitoring.
The drone could inspect both above-water and underwater structures in a single mission, potentially reducing operational costs by up to 70 percent, the founders claim.
The startup has received funding from investors including Rainmatter, India Accelerator, and Prime Venture Partners.
The team expects to develop a fully operational amphibious drone within the next six to eight months.