On Monday, May 4, 2026, the management board of Warsaw-based MBF Group announced that it had concluded an operating agreement with its technology partner, Shark Aviation Danışmanlık Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., headquartered in Selçuklu, Konya, Turkey. The agreement regulates the rules for finalizing the project, which covers the development, testing, demonstrations, and preparation for commercialization of the Iryda+ X1 system (MBF Group Signs Reservation and Right-of-First-Refusal Agreement for Iryda Plus Systems).
MBF GROUP SA (29/2026) Zawarcie umowy operacyjnej z Shark Aviation oraz określenie planu finalizacji i komercjalizacji projektu IRYDA+ X1 https://t.co/TeGOZke0rF pic.twitter.com/svOSyWNSRT
— MBF Group SA (@MBF_Group) May 4, 2026
The conclusion of the agreement marks the formal transition of the Iryda+ X1 project from the stage of arrangements and preparatory work to the operational and commercial phase, covering the implementation of testing and demonstration activities, as well as preparation of the system for market deployment. The adopted project structure and implementation schedule are a direct continuation of the activities communicated in ESPI current report No. 28/2026 of May 4, 2026, and confirm progress in technological and organizational work.
As part of the project, a total of up to 15 unmanned platforms are to be prepared and used. These will be owned by MBF Group and allocated for demonstration activities and operational testing. This means that MBF Group will effectively take possession of an operational unmanned system, rather than merely participate in its development.
Under the concluded agreement, the project is being implemented in a phased model comprising three main phases: a technological demonstration phase carried out in Turkey, a phase of extended system testing and optimization, and a market demonstration phase planned in Poland. The individual stages include activities related to the preparation of demonstration platforms, the conduct of operational tests, the preparation of documentation materials, and the presentation of the system to potential customers, including institutions responsible for critical infrastructure, public-sector entities, and uniformed services.
The management board of MBF Group indicates that project milestones have been defined, including in particular achieving readiness of the Iryda+ X1 system for demonstration, preparing materials documenting its operation, conducting a technological demonstration under operational conditions in Turkey, carrying out subsequent system tests and optimization, and conducting market demonstrations in Poland. Under the adopted schedule, the first demonstration phase may be carried out within approximately one month from the start of operational activities, while the next demonstration phase is planned within the following month, which means that a full demonstration cycle may be completed within a short time horizon.
MBF Group indicates that, under the adopted schedule, a presentation of the fully functional Iryda+ X1 system under operational conditions in Turkey is planned by the end of June 2026, while a presentation of the system in Poland, also including a demonstration of its operational capabilities, including target neutralization, is planned by the end of August 2026. In the company’s assessment, the current level of advancement of the system allows it to be offered to potential customers in parallel with further technological development.
At the same time, MBF Group emphasizes that some of the indicated milestones are already at an advanced stage of implementation, which results from the system’s level of technological maturity and the work carried out to date by the technology partner, including flight tests, tests of control systems, and operational functions, including the ability to perform tasks autonomously and in a swarm structure.
The management board of MBF Group additionally notes that, in connection with the project’s transition to the operational phase, it is beginning activities aimed at establishing direct relationships with potential customers of the system, including consultations with public institutions and services regarding the organization of system presentations, its potential applications, and the preparation of a commercial offer, also covering the development of the target Iryda Plus project (MBF Group After Drone World Expo 2026: First Public Presentation of Iryda Plus).
Under the adopted project implementation model, unmanned platforms intended for demonstrations and testing are to be prepared and used. This includes both demonstration units used in individual stages of the project and platforms intended for operational testing and system validation. This approach results from the specific nature of projects in the field of unmanned systems and the need to ensure continuity of testing and demonstration work.
Under the provisions of the agreement, the maximum remuneration of the technology partner for the implementation of the project has been set at a total amount not exceeding 75,000 USD, of which up to 40,000 USD is allocated to the technological demonstration phase carried out in Turkey and up to 35,000 USD to the market demonstration phase carried out in Poland. Payments are made in a phased model linked to the achievement of individual milestones, with each phase divided into payment tranches corresponding to the progress of the work. The project is not a conventional research and development project, but is based on technological solutions that have reached a level allowing for rapid deployment and market demonstration.
Under the adopted cooperation model, the parties made a clear division of responsibilities, under which the technology partner is responsible for the development, testing, and delivery of technical solutions, including software, system architecture, and the integration of unmanned systems, while MBF Group carries out activities related to the commercialization of the project, market communication, investor relations, and financing of subsequent stages of system development, including the expansion of platforms and functionalities. The management board also indicates that one of the key elements of its role in the project is the internationalization of the Iryda+ X1 system and the use of concluded and negotiated agreements to enter foreign markets.
MBF Group indicates that the Iryda+ X1 system is a dual-use solution characterized by a modular architecture, the ability to operate both as individual units and in a swarm structure, and the capability for rapid adaptation to various operational scenarios. The current level of advancement of the system enables its demonstration and potential use in commercial activities in parallel with further technological development.
The management board of MBF Group considered the above information to be confidential due to its significance for the further development of the Iryda Plus and Iryda+ X1 projects, its impact on the company’s operational situation, and its potential importance for investors’ assessment of the company’s growth prospects.
Materiał z testów pokazuje rzeczywiste działanie systemu – nie koncepcję, nie wizualizację, tylko operacyjne środowisko pracy. Widać zarówno logikę planowania misji, jak i przebieg realizacji z wykorzystaniem systemu zarządzania oraz elementów autonomii i koordynacji.
To dopiero… pic.twitter.com/ZtcJsJ6R6g
— MBF Group SA (@MBF_Group) May 4, 2026
To już nie jest koncepcja. To jest system. 💪
MBF Group S.A. podpisała umowę operacyjną z Shark Aviation i przechodzi do realizacji projektu IRYDA+ X1. System został przetestowany i osiągnął poziom umożliwiający demonstracje oraz przygotowanie do wdrożeń.
Kluczowe: w ramach… pic.twitter.com/530EXLXKa4
— MBF Group SA (@MBF_Group) May 4, 2026
Współpraca z partnerami z Turcja @SharkAviationTr to nie przypadek @sabanabur 🇹🇷 — to świadomy wybór kierunku opartego na doświadczeniu jednej z największych armii NATO. Mówimy o środowisku, w którym technologie są testowane w praktyce, a nie tylko projektowane na papierze. To… pic.twitter.com/VTFsdK4I2m
— MBF Group SA (@MBF_Group) May 4, 2026
See also:
- Fairchild Aerospace Corporation signs strategic agreement and launches investment process in MBF Group
- MBF Group and ADM Works expand cooperation on Apache simulator – Polish project with NATO potential
- MBF Group interested in supplying anti-personnel mines to the Polish Armed Forces
- MBF Group and Rohde & Schwarz Polska to Pursue Joint Technology Projects
- MBF Group signs strategic agreements with Warsaw University of Technology and Franklin
- MBF Group and Lviv Polytechnic University sign UAV and C-UAS R&D agreement
- MBF Group accelerates implementation of Iryda Plus project