Alteon, a Bengaluru-based startup founded by 20-year-old Samay Sanghvi, is developing autonomous aircraft that aim to remain airborne for over a year by harvesting wind energy from ocean winds. The company recently secured $2.5 million in pre-seed funding led by prominent solo investor Lachy Groom, with additional support from Together Fund. Alteon’s innovative approach draws inspiration from the dynamic soaring technique used by albatrosses, which allows aircraft to extract energy by repeatedly moving between air layers traveling at different speeds above the ocean.

The startup's initial focus is on creating small, fixed-wing autonomous planes with a wingspan of around three meters. These aircraft are designed to fly close to the ocean surface and use dynamic soaring to gain energy from the wind’s shear. Alteon plans to eventually convert some of the captured energy into electricity through its propeller turbines, enabling the aircraft to recharge onboard batteries. The immediate application for this technology is maritime surveillance, providing governments with continuous real-time monitoring of their waters.

While Alteon recently demonstrated a test flight where its autonomous aircraft completed seven cycles at more than 62 miles per hour near the Bay of Bengal, the company has yet to prove that its planes can sustain flight purely on harvested wind energy. The next critical milestone, called "energy-neutral dynamic soaring," aims to switch off propulsion and maintain flight indefinitely using wind energy alone. Experts acknowledge the promise of the low-altitude flights but highlight challenges related to turbulence, ocean spray, and environmental factors that must be managed for long-term success.

Despite the technical risks, Lachy Groom expressed confidence in the Alteon team’s ability to tackle the ambitious challenge. Sanghvi began his work on dynamic soaring aircraft in 2023 just after finishing high school and formally started the company in 2025. Alteon now operates from a large facility in Bengaluru with a team of 20 and builds multiple planes weekly, having conducted over 200 test flights in the past month. This emerging technology could have widespread implications once aircraft can reliably stay aloft for extended periods without refueling.