DTU innovators win Rs 15 lakh each at MSME Idea Hackathon 5.0 for UAV, drone forensics projects

Delhi Technological University (DTU) has announced that two of its innovators have bagged ₹15 lakh each at the MSME idea hackathon 5.0 in the stealth, surveillance, and cyber defence technologies category. The achievement highlights the university’s growing emphasis on real-world innovation and research.

The awardees are Anshul Sharma, a startup founder at the DTU Incubator, and Chitwan Tejan, a student at the university. Both were recognised for developing solutions that address emerging challenges in defence and drone technologies.

The MSME idea hackathon is a key initiative aimed at supporting innovative ideas with practical applications. DTU’s strong showing this year reflects its focus on encouraging students and startups to work on technologies that align with national priorities.

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DTU innovation success: Rs 15 lakh awards for UAV and drone forensics projects

Anshul Sharma received the award for his project on a “flying wing VTOL UAV system” with a 150 km range. The system also includes a smart automated docking station that can manage multiple drones with features like auto-fuelling, charging, and AI-based surveillance. The project is seen as a step forward in building more efficient and autonomous aerial systems.

Chitwan Tejan, on the other hand, was recognised for his project “drone forensics.” His work focuses on tackling issues related to drone security and investigation, an area that is becoming increasingly important as drone usage grows across sectors.

DTU leadership applauds work in cyber defence and surveillance

Praising the achievement, Prateek Sharma, vice chancellor of DTU, said, “This remarkable achievement reflects the spirit of innovation, research excellence, and technological leadership at DTU. I congratulate both the winners and their mentors for their dedication and impactful contributions in critical domains such as surveillance and cyber defence that contribute to national priorities.”

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The university noted that such accomplishments highlight the importance of combining academic learning with practical innovation. It also underlined how student-led projects can contribute to solving real-world challenges.

DTU incubator and mentors play key role in startup growth

DTU also credited its incubator team, mentors, and jury members for supporting the innovators throughout the process. Their guidance and evaluation at the institute level played an important role in shaping these projects.

The university said it will continue to strengthen its innovation ecosystem, encouraging more students and startups to work on solutions that address both national and global challenges.