At Griffin Tech Days 2026 in Rovajärvi, hosted by the Finnish Special Forces, Airolit joined selected industry and academic actors for five days of intensive field testing in genuine Arctic conditions. Temperatures dropped to –27°C, fog rolled in unexpectedly, and icing challenged stability and battery performance. For Airolit, this was not about controlled demonstrations. It was about validation under pressure.
Over the course of the week, Airolit successfully conducted nine live demonstrations, supported by SAAB, Micropol and SAI. Despite extremely challenging weather conditions, Airolit completed all planned demonstrations according to schedule.
Both the Airolit S1 and Airolit CX10 were evaluated as flexible payload platforms across a range of Arctic operational scenarios. Testing included full-system verification of the CX10, battery handling in extreme cold, icing resilience, and performance in GNSS-stressed environments. The objective was clear: validate the entire system – not just individual components.
“We can look back at five days of intense but successful field testing. That’s not a coincidence; it’s the result of systematic development, close collaboration with our users, and a clear focus on building robust systems for real operational conditions,” says Philip Karlsson Gisslow, CTO at Airolit.
Full-System Validation in Arctic Conditions
One of the key takeaways from Griffin Tech Days 2026 was the importance of holistic testing. Arctic operations are not defined by a single technical specification – they are defined by how the entire system performs under stress. Cold impacts battery chemistry. Moisture affects sensors. Wind and icing challenge stability. Integration becomes just as important as hardware performance.
The experience reinforced that reliable Arctic capability requires complete system validation, not isolated component testing.
“Operating in –27°C with icing and rapidly changing visibility is a true stress test for any unmanned system. Griffin Tech Days gave us the opportunity to validate our platforms in real Arctic conditions. It was encouraging to see how well both S1 and CX10 performed, while also identifying where we can continue refining and strengthening our systems,” says Philip Karlsson Gisslow.
Strengthening Nordic Collaboration
Beyond the technical validation, Griffin Tech Days served as an important arena for dialogue and collaboration within the Nordic defence ecosystem.
The atmosphere throughout the week was constructive and forward-looking, with strong engagement from potential end users as well as future partners. The event further strengthened ties within the highly innovative Nordic UAV community.
For Airolit, Griffin Tech Days 2026 marked another step in establishing a strong presence in Finland – and in contributing to the continued development of Nordic drone capability, grounded in real-world validation.
