The Bayraktar TB2T-AI, Türkiye’s next-generation platform featuring advanced artificial intelligence and turbocharged propulsion, has climbed to 37,096 feet to break its own altitude record. With its superior performance, the indigenous UCAV once again pushed the boundaries in the sky.

KEŞAN
6 MAY 2025

Bayraktar TB2T-AI, the indigenous and original platform developed by Baykar, has once again underscored Türkiye’s pioneering role in UCAV technology with a historic milestone during routine flight tests. Equipped with a turbo engine and advanced artificial intelligence systems, the next-generation UCAV reached an altitude of 37,096 feet during a test flight conducted over Keşan, breaking its own previous record.

BREAKS RECORD WITH 37,096 FEET
Thanks to its powerful turbo engine, Bayraktar TB2T-AI has taken its ability to climb above 30,000 feet to a whole new level. The next-generation platform had reached 30,318 feet during a flight test on February 21, 2025. During the current flight tests in Keşan, the indigenous UCAV climbed to 37,096 feet, showcasing its ability to perform extended missions at high altitudes.

TURBO ENGINE DELIVERS SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
Equipped with a turbo engine, Bayraktar TB2T-AI has proven its high-altitude performance by setting this new record. Compared to existing UCAVs, the platform climbs faster, sustains longer operations at altitude, and continues to serve as a critical asset for air superiority with a speed exceeding 160 knots (300 km/h). With increased maximum takeoff weight and payload capacity, it is designed to operate more effectively and for longer durations in the battlespace.

AI-ASSISTED AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT 
Bayraktar TB2T-AI delivers superior autonomous capabilities in air combat through the integration of three next-generation AI computers. Türkiye’s advanced indigenous UCAV is now capable of terrain-referenced visual cruise even under intense electronic warfare conditions. With its advanced AI systems, the platform visually recognizes terrain and adjusts orientation accordingly. It can also analyze targets for identification and detection, visually recognize runways for fully autonomous takeoff and landing, and determine optimal flight paths through dynamic route planning.

STRATEGIC SUPERIORITY IN COMBAT
With this new altitude record, Bayraktar TB2T-AI has further strengthened its position as a game-changing force in modern warfare. The indigenous UCAV is capable of operating under the most demanding conditions and is equipped to return safely to base during in-flight emergencies, thanks to its AI-assisted systems. Even at high altitudes, these features ensure maximum operational safety.

MORE THAN 1 MILLION FLIGHT HOURS
Since entering service in 2014, Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs—produced with a 93% localization rate—have operated across the globe. In December 2024, the platform surpassed 1 million flight hours, making Bayraktar TB2 the longest-flying indigenous aircraft in Turkish aviation history. Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs are currently in service with the Turkish Armed Forces, the National Intelligence Organization, the Gendarmerie General Command, the Turkish National Police, the Coast Guard Command, and the General Directorate of Forests for wildfire prevention.

HOLDER OF RECORDS
Bayraktar TB2, which holds several major records in Turkish aviation history, notably set a new benchmark on July 16, 2019, during a demonstration flight in Kuwait. Operating under extreme geographical and climatic conditions—including high temperatures and sandstorms—the aircraft remained airborne for an uninterrupted 27 hours and three minutes, marking another significant achievement.

PUSHING LIMITS WITH MANEUVERING CAPABILITIES
Bayraktar TB2, known for its many groundbreaking achievements in Turkish aviation, made history as the first and only UCAV to successfully perform a barrel roll—one of the most critical evasive maneuvers typically reserved for fighter jets—during a test flight on May 31, 2024. In another global first, Bayraktar TB2 successfully executed an autonomous spin recovery maneuver during a test flight on April 9, 2025, further pushing the boundaries of aerial maneuverability.

THE HERO OF KARABAKH
zBayraktar TB2 UCAVs have consistently proven their effectiveness with superior performance in Türkiye’s counter-terror operations and international missions alike. Deployes across the globe, the indigenous platform has played a decisive role in ending the three-decade occupation of Karabakh, and has made significant contributions in Libya, Ukraine, Mali, and Burkina Faso.

IN NATO AND EU SKIES
Developed indigenously and originally by Baykar, Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs have successfully entered service around the world through competitive selection processes. In 2023, the platform emerged victorious over American, European, and Chinese rivals in a selection process conducted by Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense, resulting in a major export agreement. This success not only expanded Baykar’s global footprint but also reinforced its presence across NATO and the European Union. Following an agreement signed with Croatia on November 19, 2024, Bayraktar TB2 is now in service with six NATO allies and four EU member states.

FROM EARTHQUAKES TO WILDFIRES
In addition to security operations, Türkiye’s indigenous UCAVs play an active role in civilian missions—including earthquake and flood response, search and rescue efforts, irregular migration monitoring, and wildfire prevention. Bayraktar TB2s were deployed following the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Sivrice, Elazığ on January 24, 2020, and flew a total of 2,417 hours and six minutes in the aftermath of the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. A total of 42 Bayraktar TB2s participated in these operations, including eight equipped with integrated Baykar Rapid Mapping Pods. Between 2020 and 2024, Bayraktar TB2s successfully detected 4,091 wildfires at early stages, enabling authorities to intervene before the fires could spread.

EXPORT CHAMPION
Baykar, which has self-financed all of its projects since its founding, has generated 83% of its total revenues from exports since launching its UAV R&D program in 2003. In 2023, the company achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among Türkiye’s top ten exporters across all sectors. As the world’s leading exporter in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market, Baykar continued its remarkable success in 2024, once again generating $1.8 billion in exports—accounting for 90% of its total revenue.

HIGH-TECH EXPORTS TO 36 COUNTRIES
Recipient of the prestigious “Champions of Export” award, Baykar was the leading exporter in Türkiye’s defense and aerospace industry in 2021, 2022, and 2023, according to data from the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM). In 2023, Baykar accounted for one third of the sector’s total exports, and in 2024, it achieved a quarter of Türkiye’s defense and aerospace exports—paving the way for the country’s global leadership in the UCAV export market. Today, 97.5% of Baykar’s active contracts stem from international sales. The company has signed export agreements with 36 countries to date—34 for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 11 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV.