Turkey's KIZILELMA Drones Achieve World-First Autonomous AI Formation Flight

January 1, 2026 at 08:55 PM•2 min read

Turkey's KIZILELMA jet-powered drones completed a world-first autonomous close formation flight on December 28, demonstrating advanced AI-powered drone formation technology without

Key Points

1December 28, 2025: Two Bayraktar KIZILELMA drones completed a fully autonomous close formation flight.
2World-First Claim: The manufacturer, Baykar, stated this was the first autonomous formation flight by jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft.
3Technology: The flight relied entirely on intelligent swarm autonomy algorithms and onboard AI, without any human pilot intervention.
4Impact: The test validates technology for future multi-drone swarming, coordinated air combat, and complex autonomous aerial missions.

Turkish defense firm Baykar announced a significant technological achievement in late December. Two prototypes of the Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft completed a fully autonomous close formation flight. This test marks a claimed world-first for jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft. The flight occurred on December 28, 2025, at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Türkiye.

Autonomous Systems Technology Breakthrough

The two jet-powered weaponised drones flew in close proximity. This was achieved entirely without human pilot input or remote control. The aircraft relied on advanced onboard AI-powered drone formation systems. These systems used sophisticated intelligent swarm autonomy algorithms. The algorithms were developed by Baykar engineers.

Close formation flying demands precise synchronization between aircraft. The drones continuously exchanged real-time data. This ensured seamless coordination and perfect alignment at high speeds. The successful demonstration included a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) mission. This shows the maturity of the platform's autonomous systems technology.

Implications for Future Aerial Missions

Analysts note this achievement is a major step in military aviation technology. The capability transfers complex aerial operations from manned fighters to autonomous platforms. This development is crucial for the future of aerial missions. It enables multiple unmanned combat aircraft to operate as a coordinated unit. They can execute synchronized attacks or serve as force multipliers. The system uses drone flight management algorithms to adjust positions automatically. This frees human operators to focus on strategic oversight.

This technology is part of a global shift toward Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concepts. Major global manufacturers, like Boeing, are also investing heavily in similar autonomous teaming capabilities. The ability to coordinate multiple unmanned aerial vehicles autonomously is a significant operational advantage. Regulators like EASA will face new challenges in certifying such complex autonomous fleet operations. This development is a key milestone in autonomous aviation, setting a new benchmark in global AI-powered drone formation capabilities. For more commercial aviation news, visit flying.flights.