Meet Avataar, India's 1st amphibious drone that can dive underwater
Say hello to Avataar, India's first drone that can both fly and dive underwater.
Created by Bengaluru startup AquaAirX, this amphibious surveillance drone just cleared tough real-world maritime tests (TRL-6), showing it can handle water pressure and strong currents.
As of March 2026, AquaAirX had completed pool trials and independent platform tests, and advanced aerial and open-water testing was underway.
The drone is made of carbon fiber
Avataar sports a carbon-fiber build with special coatings to fight off saltwater damage.
It's loaded with tech like underwater acoustic modems for communication, sonar for 3D seabed mapping, sensors that track movement against the sea floor (e.g., a Doppler-style or speedometer sensor), and LED lights for dark environments.
After each underwater mission, a freshwater flush is performed.
It has attracted interest from the Indian Navy
This drone isn't just cool: it's practical. It can handle port surveillance, coastal reconnaissance, pipeline checks under the sea, and even quick search-and-rescue missions, without needing a boat.
AquaAirX recently raised ₹12.5 crore in seed funding from Rainmatter and others.
Founded by Gouthami TS and Jitendra Kumar Purnmal Saini, the AVATAAR project has been selected under the iDEX program and has attracted interest from the Indian Navy, the team is bringing some serious innovation to India's coastline!