Türkeye's Development in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Technology: A Historical Review from Post-1980 to the Present
Abstract
This study aims to analyze Turkey's development in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) since the 1980s from a historical perspective. Initially, Turkey started to use UAVs dependent on foreign systems, but since the 2000s, Turkey has made significant breakthroughs in line with domestic and national production policies. In this context, indigenous systems such as Bayraktar TB2, ANKA and Akıncı play a strategic role not only in national security but also in defense industry exports. The methodology of the study is based on secondary data sources; defense industry reports, academic publications and institutional documents were analyzed through a literature review. The findings clearly reveal Turkey's transition from technology transfer to the development of its own indigenous platforms and show that Turkey has become a global UAV producer and exporter, especially in the post-2010 period. Turkey's UAV strategy is an important reflection of its quest for independence in defense technologies, both in terms of its geopolitical implications and domestic political consequences.
Keywords
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Turkish Defense Industry Domestic UAV Production Military Technology
References
- 1. Akbar, M. F., Mahardika, D., Rizqi, M., Sulthoni, M. A., & Moelyadi, M. A. (2021). Avionics subsystems design and development for HALE UAV ITB V4. In The 8th International Seminar on Aerospace Science and Technology – ISAST 2020, 17 November 2020, Bogor, Indonesia. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2366, 020012.
- 2. Arslan, B., & Demirtaş, F. (2021). Türkiye’de İHA’ların askeri ve sivil kullanımı üzerine bir değerlendirme.
- 3. Bayraktar, S., & Özcan, T. (2018). Türkiye’de insansız hava araçlarının gelişim süreci. Savunma Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(2), 45–60.
- 4. Besenyő, J., & Málnássy, A. (2024). Geopolitical dimension of Libyan drone warfare: The use of Turkish drones on the North African battlefields. Obrana a strategie, 24(1), 3–17.
- 5. Bremnes, K., Moen, R., Yeduri, S. R., Yakkati, R. R., & Cenkeramaddi, L. (2022). Classification of UAVs utilizing fixed boundary empirical wavelet sub-bands of RF fingerprints and deep convolutional neural network. IEEE Sensors Journal, 22, 21248–21256.
- 6. Demir, O. (2019). ANKA projesinin Türk savunma sanayine katkıları. Havacılık ve Uzay Araştırmaları Dergisi, 8(1), 12–25.
- 7. Demiryol, T., & Soyaltin-Colella, D. (2024). The geopolitics of Turkey's rise as a drone power. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 25(1), 12–20.
- 8. Erdoğan, M. (2022). Bayraktar TB2’nin uluslararası operasyonel başarısı. Stratejik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 11(3), 88–102.
- 9. Fourlas, G. K., & Karras, G. C. (2021). A survey on fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control methods for unmanned aerial vehicles. Machines, 9(197).
- 10. Haque, S. R., Kormokar, R., & Zaman, A. U. (2017). Drone ground control station with enhanced safety features. In 2017 2nd International Conference for Convergence in Technology (I2CT) (pp. 1207–1210). IEEE.
- 11. Hutsul, T., Zhezhera, I., & Tkach, V. (2022). Features of UAV classification and selection methods. Technical Sciences and Technologies, 4(30), 201–212.
- 12. Hwang, W., & Song, S. (2022). The extension of Turkish influence and the use of drones. Comparative Strategy, 41, 439–458.
- 13. Kaya, H. (2022). Türkiye’de İHA teknolojilerinin gelişimi ve savunma sanayine etkileri.
- 14. Molchanov, P. O., Harmanny, R., de Wit, J. J., Egiazarian, K., & Astola, J. (2013). Classification of small UAVs and birds by micro-Doppler signatures. In 2013 European Radar Conference (pp. 172–175). IEEE.
- 15. Natarajan, G. (2001). Ground control stations for unmanned air vehicles (Review Paper). Defence Science Journal, 51, 229–237.
- 16. Öztürk, O. (2024). Havacılıkta kullanılan ısıl (termal) pillerin risk analizi. Kırşehir Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 2(2), 105–115.
- 17. Öztürk, O. (2024). Uydular ve Türkiye’nin uydu çalışmalarının SWOT analizi. Aerospace Research Letters (ASREL), 3(2), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.56753/ASREL.2024.2.1
- 18. Öztürk, Y. (2023). Bayraktar TB2 ve Akıncı İHA’larının operasyonel başarıları. Savunma Teknolojileri Dergisi, 12(2), 57–72.
- 19. Prisacariu, V., Mircea, Pop, S., Luige, Victor, & Travediu, A. (2022). Considerations about construction of UAV ground control stations. In Scientific Research and Education in the Air Force – AFASES 2021 (pp. 129–138).
- 20. Rossiter, A., & Cannon, B. J. (2022). Turkey's rise as a drone power: Trial by fire. Defense & Security Analysis, 38, 210–229.
- 21. Soyaltin-Colella, D., & Demiryol, T. (2023). Unusual middle power activism and regime survival: Turkey’s drone warfare and its regime-boosting effects. Third World Quarterly, 44(4), 724–743.
- 22. Tachinina, O. M., Lysenko, A. I., & Kutiepov, V. O. (2022). Classification of modern unmanned aerial vehicles. Aviation Transport, 4(74), 79–86.
- 23. Walter, B., Knutzon, J., Sannier, A. V., & Oliver, J. H. (2004). Virtual UAV ground control station. In AIAA 3rd “Unmanned Unlimited” Technical Conference, Workshop and Exhibit, 20–23 September 2004, Chicago, Illinois (pp. 1–10).
- 24. Yeh, K.-H. (2024). The implementation mechanism, application, and development prospects of Turkey’s drone strategy. Contemporary Eurasia, 12(2), 63–82.
- 25. Zhang, Z., Zhou, Y., Zhang, Y., & Qian, B. (2024). Strong electromagnetic interference and protection in UAVs. Electronics, 13, 393.
Türkiye'nin İnsansız Hava Aracı (İHA) Teknolojisindeki Gelişimi: 1980 Sonrasından Günümüze Tarihsel Bir İnceleme
Abstract
Bu çalışma, Türkiye’nin 1980’li yıllardan itibaren insansız hava araçları (İHA) alanındaki gelişimini tarihsel bir perspektifle incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Türkiye, başlangıçta yabancı sistemlere bağımlı olarak İHA kullanımına başlamış, ancak 2000’li yıllardan itibaren yerli ve milli üretim politikaları doğrultusunda önemli atılımlar gerçekleştirmiştir. Bu bağlamda, Bayraktar TB2, ANKA ve Akıncı gibi yerli sistemler yalnızca ulusal güvenlik alanında değil, aynı zamanda savunma sanayi ihracatında da stratejik rol oynamaktadır. Çalışmanın yöntemi ikincil veri kaynaklarına dayanmaktadır; literatür taraması yoluyla savunma sanayi raporları, akademik yayınlar ve kurumsal belgeler analiz edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, Türkiye'nin teknoloji transferinden kendi özgün platformlarını geliştirmeye geçiş sürecini açıkça ortaya koymakta, özellikle 2010 sonrası dönemde küresel bir İHA üreticisi ve ihracatçısı haline geldiğini göstermektedir. Türkiye'nin İHA stratejisi hem jeopolitik etkileri hem de iç politik sonuçları itibarıyla, savunma teknolojilerinde bağımsızlık arayışının önemli bir yansımasıdır.
References
- 1. Akbar, M. F., Mahardika, D., Rizqi, M., Sulthoni, M. A., & Moelyadi, M. A. (2021). Avionics subsystems design and development for HALE UAV ITB V4. In The 8th International Seminar on Aerospace Science and Technology – ISAST 2020, 17 November 2020, Bogor, Indonesia. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2366, 020012.
- 2. Arslan, B., & Demirtaş, F. (2021). Türkiye’de İHA’ların askeri ve sivil kullanımı üzerine bir değerlendirme.
- 3. Bayraktar, S., & Özcan, T. (2018). Türkiye’de insansız hava araçlarının gelişim süreci. Savunma Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(2), 45–60.
- 4. Besenyő, J., & Málnássy, A. (2024). Geopolitical dimension of Libyan drone warfare: The use of Turkish drones on the North African battlefields. Obrana a strategie, 24(1), 3–17.
- 5. Bremnes, K., Moen, R., Yeduri, S. R., Yakkati, R. R., & Cenkeramaddi, L. (2022). Classification of UAVs utilizing fixed boundary empirical wavelet sub-bands of RF fingerprints and deep convolutional neural network. IEEE Sensors Journal, 22, 21248–21256.
- 6. Demir, O. (2019). ANKA projesinin Türk savunma sanayine katkıları. Havacılık ve Uzay Araştırmaları Dergisi, 8(1), 12–25.
- 7. Demiryol, T., & Soyaltin-Colella, D. (2024). The geopolitics of Turkey's rise as a drone power. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 25(1), 12–20.
- 8. Erdoğan, M. (2022). Bayraktar TB2’nin uluslararası operasyonel başarısı. Stratejik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 11(3), 88–102.
- 9. Fourlas, G. K., & Karras, G. C. (2021). A survey on fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control methods for unmanned aerial vehicles. Machines, 9(197).
- 10. Haque, S. R., Kormokar, R., & Zaman, A. U. (2017). Drone ground control station with enhanced safety features. In 2017 2nd International Conference for Convergence in Technology (I2CT) (pp. 1207–1210). IEEE.
- 11. Hutsul, T., Zhezhera, I., & Tkach, V. (2022). Features of UAV classification and selection methods. Technical Sciences and Technologies, 4(30), 201–212.
- 12. Hwang, W., & Song, S. (2022). The extension of Turkish influence and the use of drones. Comparative Strategy, 41, 439–458.
- 13. Kaya, H. (2022). Türkiye’de İHA teknolojilerinin gelişimi ve savunma sanayine etkileri.
- 14. Molchanov, P. O., Harmanny, R., de Wit, J. J., Egiazarian, K., & Astola, J. (2013). Classification of small UAVs and birds by micro-Doppler signatures. In 2013 European Radar Conference (pp. 172–175). IEEE.
- 15. Natarajan, G. (2001). Ground control stations for unmanned air vehicles (Review Paper). Defence Science Journal, 51, 229–237.
- 16. Öztürk, O. (2024). Havacılıkta kullanılan ısıl (termal) pillerin risk analizi. Kırşehir Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 2(2), 105–115.
- 17. Öztürk, O. (2024). Uydular ve Türkiye’nin uydu çalışmalarının SWOT analizi. Aerospace Research Letters (ASREL), 3(2), 97–112. https://doi.org/10.56753/ASREL.2024.2.1
- 18. Öztürk, Y. (2023). Bayraktar TB2 ve Akıncı İHA’larının operasyonel başarıları. Savunma Teknolojileri Dergisi, 12(2), 57–72.
- 19. Prisacariu, V., Mircea, Pop, S., Luige, Victor, & Travediu, A. (2022). Considerations about construction of UAV ground control stations. In Scientific Research and Education in the Air Force – AFASES 2021 (pp. 129–138).
- 20. Rossiter, A., & Cannon, B. J. (2022). Turkey's rise as a drone power: Trial by fire. Defense & Security Analysis, 38, 210–229.
- 21. Soyaltin-Colella, D., & Demiryol, T. (2023). Unusual middle power activism and regime survival: Turkey’s drone warfare and its regime-boosting effects. Third World Quarterly, 44(4), 724–743.
- 22. Tachinina, O. M., Lysenko, A. I., & Kutiepov, V. O. (2022). Classification of modern unmanned aerial vehicles. Aviation Transport, 4(74), 79–86.
- 23. Walter, B., Knutzon, J., Sannier, A. V., & Oliver, J. H. (2004). Virtual UAV ground control station. In AIAA 3rd “Unmanned Unlimited” Technical Conference, Workshop and Exhibit, 20–23 September 2004, Chicago, Illinois (pp. 1–10).
- 24. Yeh, K.-H. (2024). The implementation mechanism, application, and development prospects of Turkey’s drone strategy. Contemporary Eurasia, 12(2), 63–82.
- 25. Zhang, Z., Zhou, Y., Zhang, Y., & Qian, B. (2024). Strong electromagnetic interference and protection in UAVs. Electronics, 13, 393.
Details
| Primary Language | Turkish |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Air-Space Transportation, Aerospace Structures |
| Journal Section | Reviews |
| Authors | |
| Early Pub Date | July 2, 2025 |
| Publication Date | July 4, 2025 |
| Submission Date | May 18, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | June 12, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 3 Issue: 1 |
Publication of Erciyes University, Aviation Sciences Application and Research Center, 2021 | jasam@erciyes.edu.tr
This publication is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. 