New Delhi: Hyderabad-based defence start-up Apollyon Dynamics has unveiled the Nightshade ADX-1, a jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle designed to redefine aerial warfare, media reports said.
The UAV is engineered for missions in heavily defended airspace, where speed, autonomy and resilience against electronic warfare are critical. In early 2026, the company achieved a milestone by successfully test-launching the drone from a moving vehicle, demonstrating mobile launch capability that enhances battlefield flexibility.
The Nightshade ADX-1 is reported to cruise and attack at speeds between 600 and 700 km/h, placing it among the fastest tactical UAVs developed by Indian start-ups.
This performance surpasses Iran’s Shahed-238, which has a reported speed of around 520 km/h. With a maximum take-off weight of 70 kg, the Nightshade can carry modular payloads, including up to 5 kg of explosives for precision strike missions. It is capable of flying more than 100 km into hostile territory, with future variants expected to exceed 150 km depending on mission configuration.
One of its defining features is its ability to operate in GPS-denied environments. Instead of relying solely on satellite navigation, the UAV integrates an Inertial Navigation System with terrain-following capabilities.
This allows it to continue flying accurately even under conditions of GPS spoofing or jamming. Flying at low altitude while following terrain contours reduces radar exposure, improving survivability against sophisticated air-defence networks.
The Nightshade ADX-1 is specifically intended for Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) missions. It carries anti-radiation homing sensors that detect radar emissions and autonomously steer toward them, neutralising hostile radar installations to create safer corridors for fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and other strike assets. Beyond land targets, the drone incorporates Automatic Identification System capabilities, enabling it to identify, track and engage maritime surface.
Apollyon Dynamics was founded by BTech students Jayant Khatri and Sourya Choudhury and operates as a deep-tech defence start-up incubated at BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus. To accelerate production and development, the company has secured ₹4 crore in pre-seed funding.
It has also introduced what it describes as the Indian Army’s first mobile drone laboratory, enabling frontline customisation and rapid deployment of first-person-view drones.
The Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts across the Middle East have underscored the importance of fast, autonomous drones capable of surviving contested airspace. As electronic warfare becomes more sophisticated, platforms that combine jet propulsion, autonomous navigation and radar-hunting capabilities are increasingly seen as force multipliers.
The Nightshade ADX-1, with its speed, payload versatility and resilience, represents a significant step forward in India’s indigenous drone ecosystem, expanding capabilities beyond surveillance and logistics into high-speed combat systems.
