The world has always been shaped by individuals who refuse to settle for the ordinary. These are the icons who take bold ideas and turn them into movements, who challenge limitations not just with vision but with relentless execution. Their influence goes beyond their immediate achievements—they inspire, shift perspectives, and leave behind a blueprint for what greatness looks like in action.
Among today’s most compelling leaders, Capt Aman Johri, CEO of Jatayu Unmanned Technologies, stands out as a force redefining India’s defense technology landscape. His journey from determined innovator to the helm of a company known for building indigenous drones and advanced unmanned systems is a story of audacity and purpose. More than a CEO, he embodies the spirit of an icon—someone whose influence is measured in technological breakthroughs, and in the inspiration he offers to a new generation of changemakers.
Passion to Purpose
From a young age, Aman was captivated by the idea of flight, often spending his school days building aeromodels and finding joy in seeing his creations take to the skies. Inspired deeply by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s vision of indigenous technology and self-reliance, this early fascination matured into a mission-driven pursuit. Aman’s consistent pursuit of excellence reflects in his professional career as a Rescue Helicopter Pilot, a Hostage Rescue & Tactical Crisis Specialist, an Astronaut Candidate and as a senior Advisor to the Government of India in domains of Aerospace, Defence & National Security. In 2016, fresh out of college, Aman was entrusted with designing and building an indigenous UAV system for a confidential Army operation.
The mission’s success earned him the encouragement of senior Indian Army leadership to formalize his work into a company, marking the birth of Jatayu Unmanned Technologies. What began as a personal passion project in a modest setup quickly transformed into a mission-critical defence partner, committed to building next-generation unmanned systems for India’s defence and aerospace sectors. Today, Jatayu stands as proof that innovation, when rooted in purpose, perseverance, and national pride, can grow from a garage workshop into a cornerstone of the nation’s defence capabilities.
Mission-Ready Innovation
Jatayu Unmanned Technologies operates with a clear mission—to develop reliable, robust, and future-ready unmanned systems that safeguard India’s sovereignty. Guided by the principle of “First Time Right,” the company prioritizes excellence from the outset, ensuring its products perform when it matters most. Its vision is to be India’s most trusted defence technology partner, delivering systems soldiers can depend on and adversaries must reckon with. What sets Jatayu apart is its uncompromising focus on mission-readiness.
Every drone and counter-drone platform is engineered for battlefield performance, rigorously tested under simulated combat conditions, and continuously improved using real-time feedback from field units. Deeply aligned with the Make in India initiative, the company builds components domestically wherever possible and nurtures homegrown talent. Rather than chasing trends, Jatayu anticipates emerging threats, ensuring its systems are equipped to meet current and future challenges—driven by innovation, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to national service.
Force-Multiplying Technology
Jatayu Unmanned Technologies stands apart by blending battlefield insight with future-driven innovation. Built around India’s specific requirements, its platforms integrate seamlessly into existing military frameworks while emphasizing adaptability, obsolescence management, and mission success. Going beyond conventional drones, Jatayu develops interoperable systems for swarm operations, autonomous deployment, UAV threat neutralization, and layered defence with legacy assets.
A key breakthrough is its man-portable counter-UAS system—capable of detecting, tracking, and jamming hostile drones in real time, even in high-intensity combat, without satellite dependence or foreign tech. With strong R&D in AI-driven threat detection, autonomous decision-making, and cross-domain sensor fusion, Jatayu anticipates adversary tactics and delivers systems that act as true force multipliers for India’s defence ecosystem.
Defining Milestones
Some pivotal achievements:
- 2019: Ranked among the top three in the Indian Air Force’s Mehar Baba Swarm Challenge with a decentralized UAV swarm.
- Successful deployment of handheld and man-portable counter-drone systems during Operation Sindoor, safeguarding airspace and critical military infrastructure.
Expanding Horizons
Jatayu’s UAV and counter-UAS solutions are transforming multiple sectors:
- Defence: Border surveillance, counter-infiltration, VVIP security, and strategic infrastructure protection.
- Civilian: Disaster response, smart city policing, infrastructure monitoring.
- Future: Space surveillance, satellite servicing, autonomous loitering munitions.
- Investments in AI, robotics, and real-time analytics to lead multi-domain warfare across land, air, sea, cyber, and space.
Turning Challenges into Stepping Stones
Building a high-tech defence company in India meant tackling challenges as complex as the missions Jatayu supports. Early on, the company had to navigate slow procurement cycles while convincing stakeholders to trust indigenous technology untested in combat. With little investor interest in defence tech in 2018, Jatayu bootstrapped for five years—reinvesting every rupee into R&D while keeping operations lean. Winning over end users required extensive field demonstrations to prove reliability, while talent acquisition remained tough given the high-stakes nature of defence work. Yet each hurdle reinforced the team’s conviction. Today, with stronger government backing and investor confidence, Jatayu has turned these obstacles into catalysts for innovation and India’s self-reliance.
Leading with Purpose
Capt Aman’s leadership philosophy centers on trust, purpose, and persistence:
- Leads from the front—working alongside engineers and field teams.
- Treats failures as feedback; mistakes become opportunities to learn.
- Emphasizes discipline, accountability, and real-world impact.
- Inspires employees to see every task as an act of national service.
Shaping Responsible Governance
Jatayu Unmanned Technologies has taken an active role in shaping India’s drone governance framework, recognising that innovation and regulation must advance hand in hand. The company participated in policy consultations leading to the Drone Rules 2021—now regarded as one of the world’s most progressive regulatory models—advocating for reduced bureaucracy, faster clearances, and greater opportunities for MSMEs and startups.
Guided by its “low governance, high accountability” philosophy, Jatayu champions an environment where innovation can flourish while maintaining strict responsibility in deployment. Its systems incorporate multiple fail-safes, clear identification protocols, and transparent mission logs to ensure ethical use. The company also supports responsible export practices, particularly for dual-use technologies, and collaborates with global think tanks and compliance bodies to position India as a leader in ethical drone technology. For Jatayu, governance must be anticipatory rather than reactive—and it is committed to being one of the voices charting that course.
Investing in the Future
For Jatayu Unmanned Technologies, innovation is the core of its competitive edge. The company is making significant investments in next-generation counter-drone technologies, including advanced radars, high-power microwave systems, directed energy weapons such as lasers, and rocket-based interceptors—capabilities that are expected to shape future battlefields. A dedicated AI & Autonomy Lab is driving breakthroughs in swarm intelligence, autonomous navigation, real-time threat analytics, and machine learning-based decision engines.
To strengthen its technological base, Jatayu has signed over 15 MoUs with Indian defence public sector undertakings, global OEMs, and leading academic institutions, enabling co-development of critical technologies that blend global expertise with Indian operational needs. An indigenous RF testing and simulation facility is also underway to reduce reliance on foreign labs. The company is further exploring low-orbit drone-satellite hybrid systems for deep surveillance missions. Guided by the belief that any technology contributing to a safer and more self-reliant India is worth pursuing, Jatayu focuses on bold, forward-looking investments that aim not just to keep pace with global trends, but to set them.
Building Unshakable Trust
In the sensitive domains of defence, security, and infrastructure, Jatayu Unmanned Technologies treats every deployment as a matter of national duty. Its platforms undergo rigorous testing, battlefield simulations, and redundancy checks before mission clearance. Recognising that trust is earned on the ground, the company maintains a rapid response team capable of reaching any strategic location within hours to address deployment challenges, provide real-time threat updates, or deliver urgent training.
Extensive training programs with the armed forces ensure seamless system integration, while robust data security measures—including encrypted communications, secure storage, and tamper-proof audit logs—safeguard mission integrity. A 24/7 secure operations centre monitors active deployments and offers continuous backend support. By combining readiness, reliability, and responsiveness, Jatayu has positioned itself as a trusted partner to India’s most critical security agencies.
Recognised Industry Leader
Jatayu Unmanned Technologies has earned prominent recognition across national and international platforms. Its journey has been featured by leading news channels, top defence publications, and influential digital creators. The company’s MoUs with major defence public sector undertakings and global firms have been publicly showcased and celebrated in government and industry circles. Jatayu has been an active participant and speaker at India’s largest defence expos, innovation summits, and policy forums.
At the same time, Aman has served on advisory panels with the Ministry of Defence and civil aviation bodies, and represented Indian innovation at the United Nations and other global stages. Beyond media appearances, its influence is reflected in the trust placed during high-stakes missions—ranging from counter-drone operations for VVIP protection to live demonstrations during national emergency simulations. For Jatayu, its reputation is built not through promotion, but through performance, partnerships, and a track record of protecting lives.
Vision of Impact
For Capt Aman, success is defined not by revenue figures but by the tangible impact Jatayu Unmanned Systems creates. Over the next five years, he envisions the company emerging as India’s most advanced and trusted developer of next-generation unmanned solutions, from drones and counter-UAS platforms to missiles, radars, and space technologies. His goal is to see “Made by Jatayu” systems integrated across all branches of the Indian Armed Forces, instilling confidence in the nation’s self-reliance.
The vision also extends globally, with plans to become a leading exporter of indigenous defence technologies to allied nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Inspired by ISRO’s legacy, Aman aims to position Jatayu as a pioneering force in defence innovation—developing orbital drones, autonomous battlefield robots, and other cutting-edge systems that redefine India’s global defence presence. Beyond technology, he hopes to inspire young Indians to see global tech leadership not merely as an aspiration, but as a responsibility, building a legacy that safeguards and uplifts the nation for generations to come.
Guidance for Aspirants
Capt Aman believes building a defence-tech company demands vision measured in decades, not quarters. He urges young entrepreneurs to see it as nation-building, not quick gains. The path, he notes, tests patience through resistance, rejection, and regulatory hurdles—but with intent and commitment, success follows. Innovation must serve soldiers and the nation, not just presentation appeal. He stresses mission-driven teams, constant learning, and close engagement with end-users for real-time feedback. Failures, he says, should fuel progress, not fear. Despite global giants, Aman sees vast opportunity in India’s talent, urgency, and policy support—urging entrepreneurs to take pride in shaping a self-reliant, action-driven future.
