Poly-drill　heads　are　used　in　mass　production　to　increase　productivity　when　a　large　number　of　holes　are　required.　In　this　work,　drilling　experiments　on　Al5083　aluminium　alloy　were　carried　out　using　a　poly-drill　head　to　measure　the　thrust　force　and　assess　hole　quality.　Analysis　of　chip　formations　and　post-machining　tool　condition　were　evaluated　using　optical　microscopy.　Additional　drilling　tests　were　conducted　using　one-shot　drilling　and　results　obtained　from　the　two　drilling　techniques　were　evaluated　against　each　other.　The　results　showed　that　the　average　thrust　forces　obtained　from　poly-drill　head　were　slightly　lower　than　those　from　one-shot　drilling.　Improvement　in　hole　quality　in　terms　of　surface　roughness　and　reduction　in　chip　length　were　achieved　using　the　poly-drill　head.　Furthermore,　visual　inspection　of　the　tools　showed　that　adhesion　and　built-up　edges　on　drills　used　in　the　polydrill　head　were　lower　as　compared　to　drills　used　in　the　one-shot　drilling.　The　contribution　of　input　parameters　on　the　measured　outputs　was　determined　using　an　ANOVA　statistical　tool.　(C)　2020　The　Authors.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0%).