Bangalore-based deep-tech aviation Start-Up Alteon has achieved a breakthrough by flying its autonomous aircraft less than 1 metre above the ocean, validating dynamic soaring manoeuvres that could allow aircraft to harvest wind energy and remain airborne for months.

The company has also secured ₹24 crore in pre-seed funding to accelerate development of ultra-long-endurance aircraft for maritime surveillance and defence applications.

Alteon’s recent offshore test demonstrated its aircraft autonomously performing multiple consecutive loops at extremely low altitude over the Bay of Bengal.

This milestone confirmed the feasibility of dynamic soaring, a technique inspired by albatrosses that involves extracting energy from wind gradients by repeatedly diving into slower air layers near the ocean surface and climbing into faster-moving layers above.

By mastering this manoeuvre, Alteon aims to build aircraft capable of remaining airborne for more than a year without conventional propulsion or refuelling.

The Start-Up was founded in 2025 by Samay Sanghvi, a self-taught engineer who began experimenting with radio-controlled prototypes in 2023. Despite lacking a formal engineering degree, Sanghvi has built a team of around 20 specialists, backed by investors such as Lachy Groom, Together Fund, Emergent Ventures, and 1517.

The company’s vision is to create fleets of autonomous aircraft that can provide persistent ocean surveillance, track illegal fishing and trafficking, monitor infrastructure, and support defence operations at a fraction of the cost of ships, satellites, or conventional aircraft.

The ₹24 crore funding round will be used to advance research and development, refine autonomous systems, and prepare for deployment of aircraft fleets over oceans.

Alteon’s next milestone is achieving “energy-neutral dynamic soaring,” where the aircraft sustains flight entirely on harvested wind energy with propulsion switched off. This would mark a decisive step toward perpetual flight.

Dynamic soaring is not a single breakthrough but a convergence of multiple engineering challenges. Sanghvi has emphasised that ultra-high endurance requires ultra-high efficiency, precision, and reliability across autonomy, aerodynamics, and structural design. Each build and flight test contributes incremental learning toward the goal of year-long airborne operation.

The aircraft under development features a wingspan of approximately three metres and is designed to fly close to the ocean surface at speeds exceeding 100 kilometres per hour. Future iterations may use propellers as turbines to convert harvested wind energy into electricity, recharging onboard batteries and extending endurance further.

For comparison, the longest continuous flight ever recorded by an aircraft is 67 days, achieved by Airbus subsidiary AALTO’s Zephyr in 2025. Alteon aims to exceed this by more than five times.

India’s UAV market, valued at around ₹3,900 crore in 2025, is projected to reach nearly ₹11,500 crore by 2030, driven by defence, surveillance, logistics, and infrastructure monitoring. Alteon’s innovation positions it at the forefront of this rapidly expanding sector, offering a disruptive solution to persistent aerial surveillance and ocean monitoring.

The company’s ambitions extend beyond endurance. By deploying fleets of autonomous aircraft, Alteon envisions continuous monitoring of maritime zones, weather systems, and critical infrastructure. Such capabilities could transform defence readiness, scientific research, and disaster response, while reducing reliance on costly conventional assets.

Agencies