Özdemir Bayraktar
Özdemir Bayraktar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949 |
| Died | 18 October 2021 (aged 71–72) |
| Education | Kabataş Boys High School |
| Alma mater | Istanbul Technical University |
| Occupation | Engineer · entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Baykar |
| Children |
|
Özdemir Bayraktar (1949 – 18 October 2021) was a distinguished Turkish engineer and business leader. He established the private defense firm Baykar in Turkey and served as its Chairman of the Board until his passing in 2021. Bayraktar played a pivotal role in advancing Turkey’s UCAV sector, acting as the principal designer behind the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 and the chief developer of the Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı.[1][2]
Early life
Born in 1949 in the Garipçe district of Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey, Özdemir Bayraktar was the son of Lütfi Reis from Sürmene. He completed his secondary education at Kabataş Boys High School in Istanbul in 1967 before earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 1972. Subsequently, he attained a master's degree specializing in Engines at ITU.[2]
Career
Beginning his professional journey as an engineer specializing in internal combustion engines, Bayraktar gained experience at prominent Turkish industrial firms such as Burdur Tractors and Istanbul Retaining Ring Uzel.[2]
In 1984, he founded Baykar Makina, initially operating as a subcontractor producing CNC precision machinery with a focus on manufacturing and supplying automotive components including engines, pumps, and spare parts. During the 1990s, the company established collaborations with the Turkish military.[3] In 2004, inspired by his son Selçuk’s doctoral research on unmanned aerial vehicles at MIT, he redirected Baykar’s focus towards the development of UCAV technology.[4]
Bayraktar was instrumental in assisting Selçuk with the design of the Bayraktar TB2, which evolved from the earlier Bayraktar TB1 prototype and achieved its maiden flight in August 2014.[5] He subsequently designed the Bayraktar Akıncı, which completed its inaugural flight test in December 2019.[6]
Personal life and death
Özdemir Bayraktar was married to Canan Bayraktar, who graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Istanbul University. Together, they raised three sons. Their oldest son, Haluk, eventually assumed the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer at Baykar, while their middle son, Selçuk, took on the positions of Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer at the company.[3][7] Additionally, Bayraktar was licensed as a private pilot.[7]
On 1 April 2021, the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev honored him with the Karabakh Order in recognition of his "efforts toward the liberation of Karabakh from Armenian occupation".Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Özdemir Bayraktar passed away on 18 October 2021.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
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