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Poland Builds a Drone Fast Lane to Finally Get Its “Polish Shahed” Ready
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![Photo of Roman Kohanets]( "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
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Poland has tasked its newly created Autonomous Systems Center with bringing a domestic Shahed-type drone project to operational readiness, according to Defense Express on March 21.
The center, known by its Polish acronym OSA, was formally launched at the Air Force Institute of Technology.
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Defence24 noted that the body is intended to speed the path from prototype to field use for air, ground, surface, and underwater unmanned systems by coordinating the military, industry, and research institutions.
Its first priority is the Pelargonia program, which Polish officials described as a “Polish Shahed.”
Defense Express reported that the drone was first shown in September 2025 and has a stated range of 900 kilometers, a cruising speed of 185 kilometers per hour, and a payload of 16-20 kilograms.
“On the finish line is the “Polish Shahed.” It is being developed under the Pelargonia program,” Kosiniak-Kamysz stated, adding that the center’s first task is to bring the project to a useful stage.
He also noted that OSA was created to “overcome administrative barriers” and accelerate adoption by the armed forces, drawing on Ukraine’s wartime experience with unmanned systems.
Defense Express described OSA as broadly resembling Ukraine’s Brave1 in its role as a bridge between developers, testing, and military adoption, though the Polish body is focused primarily on drones.
The announcement underscores Warsaw's moves to make drone development a higher national defense priority.
Currently, Poland is entering the final stage of developing a domestically built combat drone intended as a national alternative to the Iranian-made Shahed, with Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz pressing for rapid field deployment.
The effort is centered on the new Center for Autonomous Systems in Warsaw, as Poland sharply increases spending on drones, autonomous systems, and counter-drone defenses.
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The emphasis on autonomous systems is also being matched by new border defenses against UAV threats.
Poland has started installing an anti-drone system along its border with Belarus, adding a new layer of protection as Warsaw moves to counter what it describes as hybrid threats.
The new installation is intended to improve surveillance and strengthen defenses against UAVs operating near the frontier.
