Baykar

Baykar

File:BaykarLogo.png
Company type	Private company
Predecessor	Baykar Makina
Founded	1984 (1984)
Founder	Özdemir Bayraktar
Headquarters	Istanbul, Turkey
Key people	Selçuk Bayraktar (CTO) Haluk Bayraktar (GM)
Revenue	Increase$2 billion (2023)
Number of employees	7000+
Subsidiaries	Piaggio Aerospace
Website	https://www.baykartech.com/

Baykar is a privately held Turkish defence enterprise specializing in UAVs, C4I, and artificial intelligence technologies.

Name

The name Baykar derives from the combination of the Turkish words Bayraktar Kardeşler (Bayraktar Brothers). Currently, the company operates under the brands "Baykar Teknoloji" (Baykar Technology) and "Baykar Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş." (Baykar Machine Industry and Trade Inc.).

History

Founded in 1984 by Özdemir Bayraktar as Baykar Makina, the business initially functioned as a subcontractor supplying CNC precision machined components. Its original mission focused on manufacturing automotive parts such as engines, pumps, and spare components to promote domestic production within Turkey’s automotive sector. As a fully domestically funded engineering firm, Baykar pivoted towards unmanned aerial vehicle development during the early 2000s, aligning with advancements in aerospace technology. The Bayraktar Mini UAV, introduced in 2007, was the first unmanned aerial system developed entirely with local capital and incorporated into the Turkish Armed Forces’ arsenal. With ongoing research and development efforts, Baykar has become a trailblazer in its field by producing subsystems that bolster Turkey’s national defence industry, which has expanded to include arms exports featuring Baykar drones. The company's UAV lineup comprises advanced models such as the Bayraktar Tactical UAS (Bayraktar TB1), Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, and Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV. Additionally, since 2020, Baykar has been developing a flying car (quadricopter) which successfully underwent flight testing. This vehicle, named Cezeri and weighing 230 kilograms, achieved an altitude of ten meters during tests conducted in Istanbul in September 2020. Haluk Bayraktar disclosed plans to invest approximately $1 billion toward developing the jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle known as Bayraktar Kızılelma.

During the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, drones manufactured by Baykar were deployed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. This involvement triggered multiple international corporate boycotts targeting suppliers previously providing components to Baykar. Prior to this conflict, domestic drone production relied heavily on imported regulated parts including engines from Austria’s Rotax, fuel systems from Andair, and missile racks supplied by UK-based EDO Corporation. Optoelectronic systems such as FLIR sensors were sourced from Canadian company Wescam or German firm Hensoldt. When Canadian owner Bombardier Recreational Products discovered their engines were being used for military drones, they ceased exports. Similarly, Canadian export restrictions were imposed on Wescam products in October 2020. On January 11, 2021, UK-based manufacturer Andair announced it would terminate all sales to Baykar after discovering their components had been incorporated into combat drones. This made Andair the latest supplier to discontinue sales after their parts were found in drones downed during hostilities.

In reaction to these export bans, Turkey’s defence sector announced domestic replacements for critical components used by Baykar: including the TEI-PD170 engine produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries, Aselsan’s CATS optical camera system, and fuel valves also produced by Aselsan. Defence analyst Kadir Doğan indicated via social media that these foreign component embargoes posed no significant obstacle since all necessary parts had been replaced with indigenous alternatives by early 2021.

In late 2021, Ukrainian forces utilized the Bayraktar TB2 strike drone during combat operations in the Donbas conflict.

By June 2022, Ukraine launched a crowdfunding campaign dubbed "People's Bayraktar," which successfully raised over ₴600 million within three days to acquire three additional Bayraktar TB2 units.

In response to limited availability of fixed-wing aircraft suitable for deployment on Turkey’s amphibious assault ship 'Anadolu' acting as a drone carrier, development of the Bayraktar TB3 commenced during 2023.

In early 2024, Baykar declared its intention to manufacture proprietary engines internally and announced plans to invest $300 million over five years toward engine production capabilities.

On December 27, 2024, Italian aerospace manufacturer Piaggio Aerospace was acquired by Baykar.

Subsequently, on March 6, 2025, Italian defense company Leonardo entered into a partnership agreement with Baykar aimed at collaboration on unmanned aerial vehicle technologies.

Key personnel

The leadership of the company was under Özdemir Bayraktar until his passing, followed by his sons Selçuk and Haluk.

Özdemir Bayraktar

Özdemir Bayraktar, who served as Baykar's chief mechanical engineer and chair of the board, completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University in 1972. He further advanced his education with a master's degree specializing in internal combustion engines within the Department of Engines. His career included roles at several prominent Turkish industrial firms such as Burdur Tractors and Istanbul Retaining Ring Uzel. In 1984, he contributed to founding Baykar Makina with the aim of reducing Turkey's heavy reliance on imports in the automotive sector. At Baykar, he oversaw numerous projects involving the design of specialized machining and manufacturing equipment tailored for precision machining. In 2004, he shifted focus toward UAV development alongside his son Selçuk, who was then pursuing doctoral research on unmanned aerial systems at MIT. He played a leading role in advancing Baykar's homegrown UAV technology, managing projects from initial design through prototyping, manufacturing, and subsequent research and development phases. Additionally, he held a private pilot license.</ref> According to the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper, despite coming from a religiously conservative background and existing tensions between devout groups and the military during that period, he maintained connections with various military officials and collaborated on projects for the Turkish Armed Forces throughout the late 1990s.</ref> In recognition of his efforts contributing to the liberation of Karabakh through Bayraktar TB2 drones, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev honored him with the Order of Karabakh in April 2021. Özdemir Bayraktar passed away in Istanbul on 18 October 2021 at age 72.</ref>

Selçuk Bayraktar

Selçuk Bayraktar, serving as Baykar's Chief Technical Officer, was born in Istanbul in 1979. He completed his secondary education at the renowned Robert College before enrolling in Istanbul Technical University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 2002. Following this, he undertook an internship at the University of Pennsylvania and subsequently obtained a master's degree in engineering from the same institution. Bayraktar then commenced doctoral studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), focusing on unmanned helicopter systems. He finalized his master's degree at MIT in 2006 with a thesis entitled Aggressive Landing Maneuvers for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. In 2007, he decided to return to Turkey, ending his PhD program prematurely to contribute to Baykar's operations. As early as 2005, Bayraktar advocated for increased Turkish investment in drone technologies, stating that with governmental backing, Turkey could emerge as a global leader in this sector within five years. He is widely recognized as a trailblazer in what President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan describes as Ankara's swiftly advancing "local and national" defense industry. In 2016, Bayraktar married Sümeyye Erdoğan, the daughter of President Erdoğan.

Haluk Bayraktar

Haluk Bayraktar holds the position of CEO and general manager at Baykar. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Middle East Technical University (METU) in 2000 and completed a master's degree in the same discipline at Columbia University by 2002. Beginning in 2004, he pursued doctoral studies in Business Administration at Boğaziçi University. Concurrently, he served as an engineering manager overseeing project design phases related to the development of National and Unique Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems within the family business. His responsibilities spanned conceptual design, prototyping, testing, manufacturing, training, and commercial activities. In 2018, Haluk was appointed chairman of the board for SAHA Istanbul Defense and Aviation Cluster and also joined the board of directors at the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).

Products

Main article: Bayraktar UAV

UAV / drones

• Baykar Bayraktar Mini UAV
• Baykar Bayraktar TB1
• Baykar Bayraktar TB2
• Bayraktar VTOL
• Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı
• Baykar Bayraktar TB3
• Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma

Additional Offerings

• The "Kemankeş" compact cruise missile is compatible with the Bayraktar TB2, TB3, and Akıncı platforms.
• The BM100 is a 100 horsepower internal combustion engine designed specifically for the Bayraktar TB2.
• The Baykar Cezeri represents Baykar’s initiative in the flying car segment.

Gallery

Baykar

• Bayraktar Mini UAV
  Bayraktar Mini UAV
• A Bayraktar Tactical UAS seen via its tail camera
  Bayraktar Tactical UAS viewed from its tail camera
• Bayraktar TB2 UCAV
  Bayraktar TB2 UCAV
• Baykar UAV Team
  Baykar UAV Team
• Baykar Akinci UCAV
  Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV
• Baykar Cezeri quadrocopter
  Baykar Cezeri quadrocopter

External links

• Baykar Tech