MBF Group Five prototype platforms, an autonomous mission profile covering a distance of approximately 24 kilometres, and the simultaneous management of two platforms by a single operator formed the basis of the first official phase of technical verification. The company is currently preparing for a presentation in Poland, further operational development and discussions regarding Phase II and the entire family of next-generation drones, which you will read about shortly. And this will be a huge leap forward.
Five platforms and one demanding evening in Konya
On 19 July 2026, the IRYDA+ X1 programme moved from engineering discussions and laboratory development into a structured flight-test environment. Between 18:00 and 19:30, five prototype aircraft performed separate technical scenarios at the Shark Aviation flight-test area in Konya, Türkiye. The event was not organised as a conventional air show, but as a technical verification exercise based on prepared mission plans, safety procedures and defined success criteria. All five aircraft completed their assigned mission profiles.
One platform carried out an autonomous mission profile of approximately 24 kilometres, while two other aircraft independently completed individual autonomous missions. The remaining two platforms operated simultaneously under the supervision of one operator using one Ground Control Station. Each followed its own pre-programmed mission plan, without direct data exchange between the aircraft. The demonstrated capability should therefore be described as a coordinated multi-platform operation rather than a fully distributed autonomous swarm.
The verified profile included approximately 18 minutes of flight time, a cruising speed of around 99 km/h and a maximum displayed speed of 146 km/h. The aircraft completed all planned waypoints, while manual control of the basic flight path was not required during the executed autonomous missions. Active command and telemetry communication was maintained over approximately two kilometres, after which the long-range aircraft continued its previously loaded mission. The 24-kilometre figure represents the profile actually flown during Phase I and should not be interpreted as a theoretical maximum range or a recoverable operational radius.
An important feature of the IRYDA+ X1 operating concept is that autonomous execution does not automatically remove the operator from the decision-making process. While the active communication link is maintained, the operator may terminate the engagement and abort the mission. Activation of the explosive payload can be cancelled, after which the aircraft can perform an autonomous landing and be recovered safely. Following the necessary inspection and preparation, the recovered platform may be made ready to fly another mission.
This means that deploying IRYDA+ X1 does not necessarily result in the loss of the aircraft in every operational scenario. If the situation changes, the target is no longer valid or the engagement decision is withdrawn while communication remains available, the operator retains the ability to stop the mission and recover the platform. This capability may become an important part of the system’s operational and economic value proposition. Its detailed validation and documentation should form part of the subsequent development and demonstration programme.
The demonstration was prepared and conducted by Shark Aviation’s engineering and flight-test team. The final report identifies Şaban Abur, Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Engineer; Melih Gürhan Ünses, Lead Flight Test Engineer; Serhat Karkuş, Flight Control Engineer; and Halil Şafak, Mission Systems Engineer. Their responsibilities included mission planning, platform preparation and integration, Ground Control Station operation, flight safety, telemetry monitoring, technical data collection and post-flight evaluation.
A joint technical effort and an integrated system architecture
MBF Group was represented in Konya by Janusz Czarnecki, President of the Management Board; Robert Krassowski, COO and Authorised Representative of the Management Board; and Patryk Prelewicz, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. The Polish delegation attended the technical briefing, observed the flight operations and participated in evaluation meetings following the demonstration. Its role was to assess the results from the perspective of the programme’s future technical development, industrial cooperation and commercialisation.
The event was also attended by representatives of Defence Bridge Consulting, MEG Aviation and InnoPark Konya, as well as Ali Döşdemir. Following the flights, participants reviewed the aircraft, Ground Control Station, mission-planning software and the production and development environment used by Shark Aviation. The programme therefore extended beyond observing aircraft in flight and included discussions concerning the engineering process, production capabilities and possible future cooperation.
IRYDA+ X1 is a compact fixed-wing system designed from the outset around electric propulsion. The architecture integrates the aircraft, flight-control computer, mission-planning software, telemetry infrastructure and Ground Control Station. Its principal assumptions include portability, rapid deployment, a relatively low logistical burden, autonomous operation and the ability to manage multiple platforms with a small operating team. Future commercial packages may be configured differently depending on the number of aircraft, Ground Control Stations, payloads, communications equipment, training and support required by a customer.
The platforms demonstrated in Konya were engineering prototypes rather than the final serial-production configuration. Phase I was intended to verify whether the system’s fundamental architecture and operating concept worked in a real flight environment, not to complete every qualification required for military deployment. Further work remains necessary in areas such as environmental qualification, operation in rainfall, electronic-warfare resilience, integration with external C2 or battlefield-management systems and the preparation of a repeatable production standard. These are expected development stages rather than evidence that the objectives of Phase I were not met.
The five aircraft used during the official demonstration were also only part of the wider development process. According to Shark Aviation, 52 prototype platforms were produced and used at different stages involving aerodynamic development, structural verification, software improvement, navigation testing, system integration, target-engagement trials and demonstration preparation. Some platforms were damaged or rendered unusable during development and terminal test missions. The technical knowledge obtained from those activities contributed directly to the configuration demonstrated in July.
Market position, indicative price and the next generation
The issuer and Shark Aviation currently estimate the indicative planned price of a single IRYDA+ X1 platform to be around USD 20,000. The figure is not a binding commercial quotation and should be understood as configuration-dependent.The final price may vary according to production volume, platform and payload configuration, the allocation of Ground Control Stations, communications equipment, training, spares, logistics, customer requirements and the strategic significance of a particular opportunity.
International reference systems include AeroVironment’s Switchblade 300 Block 20, WB Group’s WARMATE 3 and UVision’s HERO 30, although none provides a complete one-to-one comparison with IRYDA+ X1. These are more mature systems with established production, customer relationships and, in some cases, operational experience. At the same time, public procurement values frequently include control stations, launch systems, training, logistics and support, which means they cannot reliably be treated as direct prices for an individual aircraft. IRYDA+ X1 should therefore not be presented simply as a cheaper equivalent of an existing product.
The system’s prospective market position is instead based on a combination of cost, portability, rapid preparation, autonomous mission execution, recoverability when the mission is aborted under an active link, and multi-platform management by a small operating team. These characteristics may be particularly relevant where users require the ability to deploy platforms in larger numbers without creating an excessive logistical or personnel burden. At the same time, future customers will evaluate the complete operational package, including sensors, payload effectiveness, communications, resistance to electronic warfare, production repeatability, servicing and integration with existing command systems.
The current electric IRYDA+ X1 should continue to be developed while preserving the architecture around which it was designed. A combustion or hybrid propulsion system would be more appropriately considered for a separate, longer-range platform developed in the future as another member of the IRYDA+ family. Such a product could address requirements involving greater range, endurance and payload without compromising the portability and simplicity of X1. The distinction between the two platforms may provide a more credible product strategy than attempting to make one aircraft satisfy every operational requirement.
The next public stage will be the presentation of IRYDA+ X1 during MSPO 2026 in Kielce. The final Phase I report will provide the technical foundation for discussions with armed forces representatives, prospective users, system integrators, research organisations and industrial partners. Phase II is expected to include further demonstrations and activities in Poland, although its precise scope, schedule, financing and division of responsibilities will require separate written arrangements. The objective is to move from a successful technical demonstration towards a credible product family, sustainable industrial cooperation and real commercial implementation.
