Engineering:Baykar Bayraktar KALKAN
| Bayraktar KALKAN VTOL | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | VTOL unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle |
| National origin | Turkey |
| Manufacturer | Baykar |
| Issued by | Baykar |
| Management and usage | Turkish Armed Forces |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 2022 |
| First flight | August 2019 |
| In service | 20 August 2026 |
Bayraktar KALKAN VTOL (Turkish: Bayraktar KALKAN DİHA, "Kalkan", literally: "Skydagger") is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Baykar defense technology as a versatile and flexible system specifically designed for intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance missions.[1] It was announced for the first time in 2019.[2] Bayraktar VTOL was initially intended to be used in the drone-carrying Landing helicopter dock TCG Anadolu.[3][4]
History
The project was launched in 2019,[2] with subsequent flight tests commenced thereafter. It achieved a total of 30 flight tests as of 7 April 2024.[5]
In early 2025, Baykar announced that they have successfully launched an FPV drone, called "Skydagger", from the aircraft mid-air, demonstrating its "mothership" capability.[6]
The integration of Kalkan VTOL into the Turkish Armed Forces inventory took place aboard the frigate TCG Oruçreis (F 245) during the Teknofest "Mavi Vatan" (literally: Blue Homeland) event held in Gölcük Naval Shipyard, Turkey on 20 August 2026.[7]
Specifications
Kalkan VTOL has purported capabilities of fully autonomous takeoff, cruise, and landing as well as semi-autonomous flight capabilities.[1] The Kalkan VTOL uses four electric motors to assist in take-off and it uses an internal combustion engine during cruising operations.[7]
General Features
- Wing Span: 5 m (16 ft)
- Body length: 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
- Height: 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in)[1]
- Maximum takeoff weight: 78 kg (172 lb)[8]
- Payload capacity: 3 kg (6.6 lb)[7]
Performance
- Cruise speed: 48 KTAS[1]
- Maximum speed: 55 KTAS[1]
- Communication range: +70 km (43 mi)
- Operational range: 500 km (310 mi)
- Operational altitude: 6,000 ft (1,800 m)[1]
- Ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m)[1]
- Maximum altitude: 14,500 ft (4,400 m)
- Endurance: 6 hours[1] (70 hours according to another source[5])
Advanced Features
- Fully automatic flight
- Autonomous landing and take-off
- Semi-autonomous flight
- Triple redundant flight control system
- Laser distance meter[9]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Bayraktar KALKAN DİHA" (in tr). Baykar. https://www.baykartech.com/tr/uav/bayraktar-diha/. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Baykar'dan dikey iniş kalkışlı insansız hava aracı geliyor: Bayraktar DİHA". 26 September 2019. https://www.donanimhaber.com/baykar-dan-dikey-inis-kalkisli-insansiz-hava-araci-geliyor-bayraktar-diha--114492.
- ↑ "Şimdi DİHA zamanı" (in tr). 14 September 2020. https://m5dergi.com/dergi/sayi-350-eylul-2020/simdi-diha-zamani/.
- ↑ "BAYKAR'dan dikey iniş kalkışlı yeni İHA | SavunmaSanayiST" (in tr). 18 September 2019. https://www.savunmasanayist.com/baykardan-dikey-inis-kalkisli-yeni-iha/.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 BaykarTech. "BAYKAR CONTINUES ITS BAYRAKTAR KALKAN VTOL TESTS SUCCESSFULLY" (in en). https://baykartech.com/en/press/baykar-continues-its-bayraktar-kalkan-vtol-tests-successfully/.
- ↑ TeamDefenseWatch (2025-11-29). "Baykar’s Kalkan VTOL Launches FPV Drone Mid-Air, Ushering in New Era for Airborne “Motherships”" (in en-US). https://thedefensewatch.com/aerospace-aviation/baykars-kalkan-vtol-launches-fpv-drone-mid-air-ushering-in-new-era-for-airborne-motherships/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Bayraktar KALKAN DİHA Envantere Girdi" (in tr). Savunma Sanayi ST. 20 August 2026. https://www.savunmasanayist.com/bayraktar-kalkan-diha-envantere-girdi/. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bayraktar KALKAN VTOL" (in tr). http://baykartech.com/en/uav/bayraktar-diha/.
- ↑ "BAYKAR İnsansız Hava Aracı Sistemleri". https://www.baykarsavunma.com/iha-17.html.
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