Turkish Baykar Launches "Kalkan," its Most Advanced Drone

Turkey’s Baykar has unveiled the Kalkan, its latest vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone currently undergoing flight tests.

"Flight tests of Bayraktar KALKAN VTOL, which will assume key roles in reconnaissance and intelligence missions, continue successfully," the company said in a social media post on Sunday.

According to Turkish media reports, the drone, featuring a redesigned model, was observed during its 30th flight test. System identification tests were conducted during the flight at Baykar's Flight Training and Test Center in the Keşan district of Edirne. The Bayraktar KALKAN, capable of conducting reconnaissance and intelligence operations, climbed to an altitude of 14,500 feet during the test and completed a successful flight time of 70 hours.

The Bayraktar KALKAN, equipped with capabilities for automatic route tracking, target tracking, circling, and returning home, underwent its flight test using the Baykar BG-160 camera, a fully domestically developed product by Baykar. The Bayraktar KALKAN can also capture high-resolution images at night using the Baykar BG-160 Electro-Optical System, which includes thermal imaging capabilities. The drone can effectively conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, and target detection missions both day and night.