Follow our journey from concept to competition-ready aircraft
Governor of Kayseri Mr. Gökmen Çiçek and Dener Group CEO Mr. Cemal Dener inspected our project workshop and presented an appreciation plaque to our SUAS 2026 Team Coordinator, Mehmet Ali ÜLKER.
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During our field flight tests, we validated the aerodynamic stability, V-tail responsiveness, and wing profile performance of METE UAV across low and high-altitude passes.
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Team Kartal Air continues full-scale field operations, flight trials, and mission scenario evaluations with METE UAV in complete team coordination.
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To enhance pilot proficiency and validate emergency procedures, we are actively conducting flight trials transitioning between Manual, FBWA, and Fully Autonomous modes.
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During our autonomous flight tests with METE UAV, we continue to optimize waypoint tracking, mission parameters, and telemetry streaming in alignment with competition targets.
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Benchtop ground testing of our NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano and TensorRT-powered YOLOv11 AI model was completed with detection confidence exceeding 80%.
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We conducted mechanical checks and center of gravity (CG) calibrations on the runway to optimize METE UAV’s autonomous flight performance and aerodynamic stability.
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Following the completion of lab and assembly phases, our METE S-1 UAV has successfully completed its initial flight tests and flawlessly executed full autonomous waypoint tracking.
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Our METE S-1 UAV, completely manufactured and assembled within our own workshop, was showcased at the Kayseri Vocational High School Fair, drawing immense attention from visitors.
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District Governor Sedat Sırrı Arısoy, District Director of National Education Hacı Kaya, and Dener Makine CEO Cemal Dener visited our R&D center to inspect our METE S-1 UAV project.
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Following its successful assembly and structural testing phases, our METE S-1 UAV was officially introduced to thousands of tech enthusiasts and aerospace professionals at the 2nd Traditional Kayseri Aviation Festival.
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All modular segments, internal frameworks, and mechanical subsystems of METE S-1 have been seamlessly integrated, passing critical load and durability tests with perfect marks.
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In our ongoing workshop operations, the internal framework integration of METE S-1 has been finalized, shifting the focus to control surfaces and mechanical subsystems.
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Following the completion of the design and slicing phases, the initial structural assembly of METE S-1's modular fuselage segments and carbon fiber framework has commenced in our workshop.
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Our specially developed "100th Year UAV" project, dedicated to the centenary of our Republic, achieved great success by competing in the finals of the International MEB Robot Competition.
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Following official visits to our laboratory, our METE S-1 project and international aerospace initiatives were officially presented to members of the press.
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We organized a technical visit to Talas Şehit Yüksel Turgut Middle School to inspire younger students with aviation culture and share insights on engineering teamwork.
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University students visited our laboratory to receive detailed insights into our METE S-1 project, advanced additive manufacturing, and autonomous aviation solutions.
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The modular fuselage segments of METE S-1 were fabricated using advanced 3D printing protocols, ensuring aerodynamic smoothness and micron-level precision.
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We shifted our focus to armoring METE's 3D-printed airframe with high-strength composite layers. Under the expert leadership of Mentor M. Talha ÇİÇEK, who brings 15 years of aircraft structural experience, we implemented Carbon Fiber and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP/GFRP) application techniques. This phase significantly increased the aircraft's G-force resilience and enhanced its radar-absorbent properties.
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The U.S. visa application processes were officially initiated for the final stage of the competition. DS-160 forms for all team members have been meticulously completed, and visa appointments have been successfully scheduled.
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On March 26, 2026, the official invitation letter procedures required for the international competition organized by Robonation were successfully completed. This step represents a critical phase for formalizing international participation and visa processes.
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Object detection results were evaluated using sample test videos to measure METE's proficiency in autonomous "Search and Detect" missions. Under the guidance of Ali KORKMAZ, the model's real-time detection success and stability were rigorously analyzed.
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We shifted our entire focus to the object detection and classification algorithms—the "seeing eye" of METE. Under the guidance of our Founder and Mentor, Ali KORKMAZ, we trained the YOLOv11m model using a massive dataset of 31,000 unique images. The results were outstanding, achieving a 91% mAP50 (Mean Average Precision) score. This success proves that our autonomous target detection precision meets global standards.
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This week, we successfully completed our official team registration and preliminary application payment for the SUAS 2026 competition. With this step, our METE project is now officially recognized as a contender among elite university and high school teams worldwide.
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A monitoring and evaluation session was conducted under the leadership of our Team Captain to review the overall progress of the project. During this process, technical objective completion rates and team coordination were meticulously examined.
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A comprehensive technical training session covering the engineering fundamentals of METE was conducted for our new team members. The training detailed the aircraft's aerodynamic structure, autonomous intelligence, and airframe technology.
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The first 3D trial prints of critical components designed in SolidWorks were executed. During this phase, the dimensional accuracy and fit tolerances of the digital designs were validated in the physical environment.
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Critical design and optimization studies were conducted on METE's digital twin. During the SolidWorks modeling process led by Mehmet Ali ÜLKER, the aircraft's aerodynamic profile was refined, and assembly analyses of structural components were completed.
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An extensive dataset creation process was conducted to enhance METE's autonomous target recognition capabilities. Under the guidance of Ali KORKMAZ, thousands of images were labeled to build a high-quality data pool aimed at increasing model accuracy.
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On November 3, 2025, the KARTAL AIR team held a comprehensive consultation meeting regarding the project's current status and future objectives. During the session, completed technical phases were evaluated, and the steps for the upcoming period were finalized.
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We focused on building our digital platform to showcase METE and our team's progress to the world. We designed a user-friendly, multilingual (Turkish/English) web interface fully compliant with SUAS 2026 regulations (Section 2.4). This platform is not just a promotional tool but a dynamic engineering journal where all technical phases of our project are transparently exhibited.
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Under the leadership of our Team Captain, the SUAS 2026 Handbook was reviewed in detail. During the technical briefing session for team members, competition rules, scoring criteria, and autonomous mission requirements were analyzed, and our project's strategic roadmap was updated.
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Team KARTAL AIR officially launched its SUAS 2026 campaign this week. Our focus was on a comprehensive mission analysis, establishing a high-performance team structure, and defining the core conceptual design of METE, our advanced UAV. We transitioned from theoretical ideas to a strategic roadmap, ensuring full compliance with the competition's safety and operational standards.
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