Baykar’s New Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Bayraktar KALKAN Has Been Unveiled For The First Time
The Bayraktar KALKAN VTOL system in the Mini Tactical UAV class, which Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar Technology has been working on secretly for some time, was unveiled to the public for the first time during its 30th test flight for system identification tests. Selçuk Bayraktar, the company’s Deputy General Manager in Charge of Technology, shared footage of the unmanned system’s test flight at the Baykar Flight Training and Test Center in Keşan, Edirne. In the video shared with the title ‘The Golden Age of Turkish Aviation’, it was stated that the Bayraktar KALKAN unmanned aerial vehicle, equipped with the Baykar BG-160 Electro-Optical System, reached an altitude of 14,500 feet within the scope of this test and achieved a total flight time of over 70 hours.
According to the information provided by Baykar, the Bayraktar KALKAN is a Mini Tactical UAV class drone system capable of carrying out reconnaissance and intelligence missions. The new unmanned system, which stands out via its automatic cruise, autonomous take-off, autonomous landing, and semi-autonomous cruise flight capabilities, can successfully perform reconnaissance, surveillance, and target detection missions day and night, thanks to the Baykar BG-160 Electro-Optical System with thermal imaging capability. The drone also features a flight control system capable of automatic route tracking, target tracking, circling, and return home modes.
Bayraktar KALKAN has a wingspan of 5 meters, a length of 1.5 meters, a load capacity of 5 kilograms, and a maximum takeoff weight of 50 kilograms. The drone, which is powered by four electric motors and one low-consumption gasoline engine, uses the electric motor for vertical takeoff and landing and only the gasoline engine for cruise flight. With these engines, the Bayraktar KALKAN can reportedly reach altitudes of over 14,500 feet and fly for more than 7 hours. The system, is said to be able to transfer data and images obtained during the flight to command centers within a range of 150km. The new drone has the options of landing on the fuselage and landing with parachute, in addition to being able to perform vertical take-off and landing.
The Kalkan VTOL system, which is currently undergoing testing, is expected to be ready for mass production by the end of 2024. Baykar, which exports Bayraktar TB2 to 33 countries and AKINCI to eight countries, is expected to achieve similar success with its new product once it is available for use.