Iris recognition algorithms have recently demonstrated excellent performance in the authentication task. In this paper, we present a technology transfer project for the development and testing of a biometric recognition system under challenging operational conditions. Due to the stringent operational requirements, the design and implementation of the system included a phase of selecting technologically advanced hardware. The lack of corresponding data sets implied a novel acquisition step. The evaluation phase is preliminary as the data set is being expanded for the acquisition of new samples capable of highlighting the system’s critical issues. Current samples were acquired in very different lighting conditions and in the presence of glasses, which was not yet done in the literature. In addition to the selected hardware, such data allowed us to simulate a realistic environmental context for the project’s final prototype.