2021

Turkey Champion

1st Place
Most Original Software

Combat UAV - Rotary Wing Category

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About

A software engineer who knows the hardware.

I trained in mechatronics and have written software since 2011. I think about code together with what it runs on: a flight controller, a sensor or a server.

Programming Languages

  • C# / ASP.NETSenior

    My core area. I build high-performance desktop, web and cybersecurity software in .NET Core, shipping production-ready products at enterprise scale with multithreading and layered architecture.

  • PythonSenior

    My language for autonomy and AI. I write real-time computer vision with OpenCV and Faster R-CNN, and autonomous UAV mission software over MAVLink — I built the AI-detection unit of the Teknofest-champion KAPGAN with this stack.

  • C / C++Mid-level

    The language of embedded, real-time software. I write firmware and I2C/UART hardware drivers on STM32 and ESP32, working close to the metal with low-level embedded C.

  • JavaFoundation

    A solid object-oriented foundation. Object-oriented programming, data structures and algorithms — a tool I use confidently in teaching and cross-platform work.

Education

Mechatronic Engineering - Bachelor's Degree

Bursa Technical University2018 - 2025

Completed English preparatory year. Organized C programming course as sole instructor in freshman year. Active member of IEEE, Young Red Crescent, and Young TEMA organizations.

Languages

Turkish
Native
English
B1+ (upper-intermediate)

Working together

Written scope, firm quote
Scope, milestones and price are agreed in writing before work starts.
You own the IP
Rights to the delivered code and design pass to you.
Working software in weeks
Not every job is an R&D programme: working software can ship within weeks, a drone in one to two months.
Training at handover
A free usage session after delivery is usually included.

Services

From idea to the field, end to end.

I build projects in five areas. On the training side there are Softivation’s online courses and programs tailored to organizations.

  • Autonomous UAV / drone software

    Autonomous mission software, MAVLink/ArduPilot integration, AI detection, ground control stations and simulation.

    Python · C# · .NET · MAVLink

  • AI & computer vision

    Real-time object detection and tracking, custom model training, OpenCV pipelines and LLM / MCP integration.

    Python · OpenCV · Faster R-CNN · YOLO

  • Custom web application

    Custom web apps and dashboards: multi-tenant SaaS, role-based access and automated reporting — ASP.NET and modern stacks.

    ASP.NET MVC · C# · Entity Framework · SQL Server

  • Custom desktop software

    Custom C# / .NET desktop programs: tracking and reporting, licensing and installers, and control / telemetry software that talks to hardware.

    C# · .NET · WinForms · Multi-threading

  • Embedded systems & STM32

    STM32 / ESP32 firmware, sensor and actuator integration, MAVLink and RF communication — from prototype to product.

    STM32 · ESP32 · Arduino · C / C++

  • Let's talk about your projectIf you have UAV, computer vision, embedded or .NET work, or you are looking for a senior engineer, write to me. The assistant sorts out availability and a call in a few minutes.

    All services

Experience

From cybersecurity to the classroom.

Senior developer in cybersecurity, founder of my own software company, engineer at UAV firms and instructor to hundreds of students.

Siberson Cyber Security
2024 - PresentBursa, Turkey

Senior Software Developer

Siberson Cyber Security

Building high-performance, cross-platform (Windows & Linux) cybersecurity software in .NET Core (6.0 & 8.0) on Clean Code and SOLID principles — Verifim (File Integrity Monitoring) and Verikor (Data Leakage Prevention). Alongside this I write kernel-level C++ — system-level monitoring/prevention components that hook into operating-system events. I maximized performance in concurrent operations with advanced multithreading, built comprehensive Robot Framework test automation on Windows Server and RHEL, and shipped professional installers with Advanced Installer.

.NET Core
C++ (Kernel)
Cybersecurity
DLP / FIM
Multi-threading
Robot Framework
Softivation
2023 - PresentBursa, Türkiye (Remote)

Founder & Lead Software / UAV Engineer

Softivation

Founded and run Softivation, my software company focused on software, UAVs and AI. I deliver autonomous UAV software (ArduPilot/PX4, system-architecture design and simulation), custom web & desktop application development, and TEKNOFEST competition consulting for clients. I also run one-on-one tutoring and training programs covering UAV control with Python, Mission Planner, C#, UAV communications, and AI & UAV simulation.

Autonomous UAV Software
Web & Desktop
Artificial Intelligence
TEKNOFEST Consulting
Training
MAYFly Aviation
2019 - 2024Bursa, Türkiye

Co-Founder & Software Team Lead

MAYFly Aviation

As co-founder and software team lead of a UAV technology company, I ran the R&D software. I built the control and communications software (C# and Python) for one of Turkey's first 5G-enabled, GPS-denied UAVs, developed STM32 embedded systems, layered web apps with ASP.NET MVC/MSSQL/Entity Framework, and C++ smartwatch/wristband firmware on ESP32 — plus commercial products like a drone charging station, test platform and training kit, and delivered drone & software training at high schools and the T3 Foundation.

STM32
5G UAV
ASP.NET MVC
ESP32 / C++
R&D
Baykar Technology
2022Istanbul, Turkey

Embedded Systems Intern

Baykar Technology

Internship at Turkey's leading UAV manufacturer. Developed critical embedded-systems software for pioneering UAV platforms like the Bayraktar TB2 — coded hardware drivers in C and moved data between system components over I2C and UART.

Bayraktar TB2
C
Embedded Systems
Hardware Drivers
I2C/UART
T3 Foundation
February 2022 - April 2023Bursa, Turkey

Software Educator

T3 Foundation

Instructed high school students in Python during Robotics Coding training. Taught C++ to middle school students as a software educator, focusing on foundational programming concepts and practical applications. Trained over 200 students.

Python Education
C++ Teaching
Robotics
Mentorship
Otoeko
April 2019 - June 2022Remote

Software Engineer

Otoeko

Developed desktop applications using C# and .NET Framework WinForm with layered architecture. Automated desktop processes using AutoIt3, implementing clean code principles and efficient software solutions. Developed comprehensive software platform with license management and e-commerce integration.

C# WinForm
AutoIt3
Automation
Layered Architecture
Isopotamya
2022 - 2023Remote

Entrepreneur

Isopotamya

Founded and managed e-commerce business. Handled full-stack operations including web development, digital marketing, and customer relations. Managed all processes from product photography to website design to customer service.

E-commerce
Web Development
Digital Marketing
Desa Bilisim Co. Ltd.
August 2014 - September 2018Sanliurfa, Turkey

Technical Service and Assembly Staff

Desa Bilisim Co. Ltd.

Worked on Computer Hardware Repair, IP Camera Installation, Telephone Switchboard Installation, Central Satellite Installation, Sound System Installation, Fire Alarm System Installation, and Fiber Optic Cable Termination.

Hardware
Network
System Installation
Maintenance

Projects

Systems that fly, see and ship.

From UAVs to enterprise software: work that won competitions and runs in the field and at clients.

Turkey Champion
Most Original Software Award

KAPGAN Combat UAV

National champion and winner of the "Most Original Software" award at 2021 Combat UAV Competition — I was the sole developer of all three software units.

National Champion
Faster R-CNN
Python
C#
KAPGAN Combat UAV
Cellivora — ikas E-commerce Site
Live site · cellivora.com · delivered in 2 weeks

Cellivora — ikas E-commerce Site

I set up the e-commerce site of Cellivora, a brand selling at-home LED light-care devices, on ikas and delivered it in two weeks. It is live at cellivora.com.

ikas
E-commerce
Delivered in 2 weeks
Details
Armed Autonomous Strike UAV
Teknofest 2022 · Finalist (9th)

Armed Autonomous Strike UAV

2022 TÜBİTAK Open-Mission UAV finalist: a hexacopter that runs the entire mission — from takeoff to strike — autonomously. I coded its "brain", the main management unit.

Autonomous Mission
Computer Vision
Python
Details
FIRAT Combat UAV
Teknofest 2019 · Turkey 8th

FIRAT Combat UAV

My first UAV project ( 2019). I owned the server and inter-unit communication software; we placed 8th in Turkey, 3rd in Marmara and 1st in Bursa.

My First UAV
C#
MAVLink
Details
ABRA Autonomous Fire-Fighting UAV
Teknofest 2020 · Autonomous firefighting

ABRA Autonomous Fire-Fighting UAV

A rotary-wing UAV carrying a water tank and flying autonomous routes, built for the fire-extinguishing theme of the 2020 TÜBİTAK UAV competition.

Autonomous Mission
Python
C# GCS
Details
Swarm Robotics (İLTER YAZILIM)
Teknofest 2022 · Finalist (6/10)

Swarm Robotics (İLTER YAZILIM)

2022 Swarm Robotics finalist. As software team lead, I built the swarm control algorithm coordinating nano-drones over ROS.

Swarm Intelligence
ROS
Python
Details
5G-Enabled GPS-Denied UAV
Mayfly · Turkey's first GPS-denied 5G UAV

5G-Enabled GPS-Denied UAV

One of Turkey's first private-5G UAVs able to operate in GPS-denied (indoor/factory) environments. We built one drone in 15 days; I owned the system architecture and the control/communication software.

Private 5G
GPS-Denied
C#
Details
Atmaca — LLM-Powered Autonomous UAV
Open source · R&D

Atmaca — LLM-Powered Autonomous UAV

An experimental UAV you command in plain (natural) language; a language model (Gemma 3) interprets the commands and turns them into autonomous flight.

LLM
Gemma 3
Autonomous UAV
Details
My first international freelance job · Upwork/Fiverr

Vision-Based Autonomous Precision Landing

A precision-landing system that uses AI to detect a helipad "H" marking and lands the drone exactly on its centre — continuously re-centring during descent so wind/drift cannot throw it off. My first serious international freelance job.

Computer Vision
YOLO
Autonomous Landing
Details
Award-Winning Ground Control Station
Award-winning ground control software

Award-Winning Ground Control Station

Professional C# ground control software that runs all combat-UAV missions from a single window and communicates latency-free with flight controllers over MAVLink.

C#
.NET WinForm
MAVLink
Details
Drone Training Kit
Mayfly · EdTech product

Drone Training Kit

An open-source, assemble-disassemble training-drone product built at Mayfly. I worked on software and product development, and trained the instructors myself.

EdTech Product
ArduPilot
Product Dev
Details
Autonomous Drone Charging Station
Mayfly · KOSGEB Advanced Technology project

Autonomous Drone Charging Station

A solar-assisted, fully autonomous wired charging station that talks MAVLink. It was Mayfly's KOSGEB advanced-technology project; I designed the system architecture and wrote all the embedded firmware single-handedly.

STM32
MAVLink
Autonomous
Details
Drone Test Platform
R&D test rig

Drone Test Platform

A rig where a drone's controller software and thrust system can be tested safely on the ground, without flying.

Thrust Testing
R&D
Design
Details
Smart Social-Distancing Wristband
Mayfly · My first industrial project

Smart Social-Distancing Wristband

My first industrial project, run solo from hardware to design to software. Built at Mayfly for Bursa Ekol College — an ESP32 + C++ wristband measuring distance to cm precision.

ESP32
C++
First Industrial Project
Details
Otoeko Software Platform
Otoeko · Software distribution platform

Otoeko Software Platform

A multi-component software-distribution platform combining an admin panel, a customer panel, a desktop manager, an online software market and an unattended installer.

C#
.NET WinForm
License Management
Details
Enneagram Personality Test Platform
Live product · bitatesti.com

Enneagram Personality Test Platform

A multi-tenant enneagram testing platform I built single-handedly: answer ~81 questions and it auto-generates a 30+ page personality report in the background. Sold to institutions via licenses and still live on bitatesti.com.

ASP.NET MVC
Multi-tenant
Auto PDF Report
Details
BTU SKS Management Software
BTU · Enterprise software

BTU SKS Management Software

A SOLID-principled desktop app I built for Bursa Technical University's SKS unit to manage events and produce statistics.

C#
SOLID
Event Management
Details
Namaz Akışı — Prayer Assistant
Live on Google Play

Namaz Akışı — Prayer Assistant

A fully offline, privacy-first, open-source and ad-free Muslim prayer assistant. Published on the Play Store and actively developed.

React Native
Offline
Play Store
Details
NoviceHacker Login Security
Personal security tool

NoviceHacker Login Security

An access-security tool that ties logging in and using the computer to your own USB security disk; without the correct disk the keyboard/mouse lock and the system becomes unusable.

AutoIt3
USB Authentication
HWID
Details
Interview Records (Plugin-Based CRUD)
My first corporate C# project

Interview Records (Plugin-Based CRUD)

My first corporate C# project, self-taught before I even started university. A CRUD application built on demand for a company, with a plugin architecture.

First Corporate C#
Plugin Architecture
CRUD
Details
Otoeko · 1st-year university

Quick Sale & Stock Program

A comprehensive sales and stock-tracking program I built for Otoeko on a job offer in my first university year — running file-based, with no database engine at all.

C#
No Database
Sales & Stock
Details
GPS-Based Wireless & Encrypted Object Tracking
1st-year university · My first paid job

GPS-Based Wireless & Encrypted Object Tracking

A wireless object-tracking system I designed and built single-handedly as a first-year student — as a senior's graduation project. This is where I made my first XBee link.

XBee
C#
Arduino
Details
Line-Following Robot
MATRO Community · Robotics

Line-Following Robot

My first robotics team project, in the MATRO community during my university prep year, where I owned the embedded-systems coding.

Arduino
PID
Embedded
Details
Smoke Detector
BTU Genç TEMA · R&D

Smoke Detector

A cigarette and smoke detector I built within BTU Young TEMA R&D that measures the gas/smoke ppm in the environment and reports it to a computer.

Arduino
C#
Gas Sensor
Details
ardupilot-mcp — Flight Log Diagnosis Tool
Open source · MCP server

ardupilot-mcp — Flight Log Diagnosis Tool

An open-source MCP server that reads an ArduPilot flight controller's ".bin" black-box log and explains in plain language why a drone crashed or flew badly — grounded in a deterministic check engine, not AI guesswork.

Python
MCP
ArduPilot
Details
Hardware + Embedded

Drone Charging Station — autonomous charging

A solar-assisted, fully autonomous wired drone charging station that talks MAVLink — in action.

View project

Achievements

From a first attempt to the national title.

The Teknofest years I was eliminated are part of the road too. Rankings, certificates and other achievements below.

Awards & Rankings
9
4
Turkey Championship
1

My Teknofest Rise

  1. 2019

    First Competition

  2. 2020

    ABRA Fire UAV

  3. 2021

    Combat UAV

  4. 2022

    Swarm Robotics

  5. 2022

    Autonomous Striker UAV

  6. 2023

    Entrepreneurship

Other Notable Achievements
The "Yıkıks" BTÜ Trivia team at the campus entrance

BTÜ Trivia (English Quiz) - 3rd Place

Bursa Technical University · 2019 • Team "The Yıkıks" in an English general-knowledge quiz

Badminton Provincial Champion

2010 • From primary school

"Learning C Programming with Furkan Işıkay" course poster3

C Programming Course Leadership

BTU 2019 • "Learning C Programming with Furkan Işıkay" - Solo Instructor

Certifications

Claude Academy (Anthropic) badges

  • ikas Partner

    ikas

  • C# Programming

    BTK Akademi · 2022

  • MATLAB Onramp

    MathWorks · 2025

  • MATLAB Simulink Onramp

    MathWorks · 2025

  • First Aid

    2020–2023

  • Teknofest Achievement

    2024

Proof

Organizations I worked with, products in production.

Numbers, client deliveries and organizations. Click a name to read what I did there.

Companies WorkedSiberson · Baykar · MAYFly…
6
Institutions TaughtT3 · Deneyap · universities…
8
Students TrainedPython · C++ · UAV
200+
Projects & ProductsUAV · web · desktop · AI
25
Products & Client Workclient · corporate · live
9

Where I’ve Worked

Where I’ve Taught

AI-ready portfolio

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What people ask most about pricing, process and working together.

What does Furkan Işıkay do, and what does he build?

As a senior software developer and mechatronics engineer, he turns real-world problems into reliable, shipped software. His main areas: autonomous UAV / drone flight software, real-time AI & computer vision, embedded firmware (STM32), and full-stack web/desktop apps in C#/.NET. He was the sole developer of the AI-detection, autonomous-management and ground-control-station software for KAPGAN, the Teknofest 2021 champion combat UAV.

Is he open to full-time or contract roles, and does he also take project work?

Both. He is open to senior full-time or contract software engineering roles, remote or with relocation. He also takes project-based work through his software company, Softivation: from a single consulting call to full end-to-end product delivery (web, desktop, e-commerce, embedded/UAV, drones and AI).

What are KAPGAN and Teknofest 2021?

Teknofest is Turkey’s largest aerospace and technology festival and competition. KAPGAN is the combat UAV with which Furkan’s team won Turkey 1st (champion) in the Teknofest 2021 Combat UAV category, together with the “Most Original Software” award. Furkan was the sole developer of all three software units: the AI target-detection unit, the autonomous management unit and the C#/.NET ground-control station.

Roughly how much does a project cost, and how long does it take?

Every project is priced by its scope; there is no fixed price list. Getting started is free: after a 30-minute intro call you get a requirements analysis, a technical roadmap and a rough plan/proposal document; the firm quote and timeline for the project itself follow from that work. Small jobs usually take weeks, product-scale work months.

How do I book a call or request a quote?

The fastest way is the online booking page: softivation.com/book-online. Alternatively, use the contact form on this site, email [email protected], or call or WhatsApp +90 850 242 21 60. In the free discovery call your need gets clear; scope, timeline and the firm price then come as a written proposal.

What languages does he work in, and in which time zone?

He works in Turkish (native) and English (B1+). He is based at Ulutek Teknopark in Bursa, Türkiye (GMT+3), works remotely worldwide and schedules meetings around different time zones. On-site discovery is usually possible within Bursa.

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Contact

Let’s talk about your project.

If you have UAV, computer vision, embedded or .NET work, or you are looking for a senior engineer, write to me. The assistant sorts out availability and a call in a few minutes.

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