World first: Two Bayraktar drones complete autonomous formation flight
A world first has been achieved: two unmanned combat aircraft successfully completed an autonomous close formation flight.
According to Baykar, Türkiye's first unmanned combat aircraft, Bayraktar KIZILELMA, continues its development process with the integration of new capabilities. As part of work conducted at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, two different Bayraktar KIZILELMA prototypes operated simultaneously in the sky.
- Turkey
- Published Date: 02:12 | 28 December 2025
- Modified Date: 02:14 | 28 December 2025
During the test, the third prototype PT3 and the fifth prototype PT5 took off consecutively. Thanks to smart swarm autonomy algorithms developed by the Baykar team, the two unmanned combat aircraft moved in coordination with each other, performing a formation flight with an autonomous combat pilot. This marks the first time in aviation history that two unmanned combat aircraft have conducted autonomous close formation flight.
This technological advancement allows complex aerial missions traditionally carried out by manned fighter jets to be transferred to autonomous systems. The capability enables multiple unmanned platforms to execute joint missions under a single leader, autonomously adjusting their positions relative to each other.
Air Patrol Mission
The flight test also included a CAP (Combat Air Patrol) mission, a key element of modern air combat. The Bayraktar KIZILELMA prototypes patrolled a designated route under the guidance of the swarm autonomy software, confirming the feasibility of conducting air defense missions with national unmanned combat aircraft in formation. In the future, patrol and interception missions carried out by manned fighter jets could be performed autonomously by Bayraktar KIZILELMA fleets.
Throughout the test, the autonomous systems and cooperative operations of the unmanned combat aircraft were closely monitored. Baykar's fully domestically developed Bayraktar KIZILELMA continues to enhance its ability to conduct coordinated operations with multiple platforms thanks to its smart swarm autonomy infrastructure.
On November 29, Bayraktar KIZILELMA made history during a test off the coast of Sinop. In that historic test, the aircraft destroyed a target jet marked by ASELSAN's MURAD AESA radar with a GÖKDOĞAN missile developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, becoming the first unmanned combat aircraft in the world to destroy a jet-powered aerial target using beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles.
Baykar, the world's largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, has signed export agreements with 37 countries: 36 for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 16 for the Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA.
Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar said of the test, "For the first time in the world! Two unmanned combat aircraft successfully completed autonomous close formation flight."
Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar added, "For the first time in aviation history, two unmanned combat aircraft performed autonomous close formation flight. Not copying but inventing, not imitating but being followed."