The inspirational life story of Baykar founder Özdemir Bayraktar has been brought to the screen in a new documentary entitled “Özdemir Bayraktar | An Akıncı Passed Through This World.” The documentary, featuring eyewitness accounts and previously unseen archival footage, is now streaming on Baykar’s YouTube channel and various digital platforms. A comprehensive book prepared as part of the same project has also been published simultaneously.

ISTANBUL
7 FEBRUARY 2026

A new documentary entitled “Özdemir Bayraktar | An Akıncı Passed Through This World,” which tells the life story and struggles of Baykar founder Özdemir Bayraktar, a pioneer of the National Technology Initiative, was released today. The documentary, prepared by Baykar in loving memory of Özdemir Bayraktar, highlights the unwavering character of our founder, who devoted his life to the ideal of a fully independent Türkiye, as well as the bureaucratic and military challenges he faced throughout the UCAV journey.

THREE YEARS OF PRODUCTION
The new documentary is the product of three years of dedicated work. Filmed in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, and Antalya, the project presents previously unseen footage of Özdemir Bayraktar to audiences. It also details the challenging efforts undertaken by the Bayraktar family at military bases across eastern and southeastern Türkiye, working alongside men and women in uniform to develop a UCAV.

EYEWITNESSES RECOUNT HIS STRUGGLE
As part of the documentary project, 47 prominent figures from across the country were filmed, including senior military leaders, high-ranking officials, politicians, close friends, and members of the Bayraktar family, all sharing what they witnessed as Özdemir Bayraktar strove to develop a UCAV in Türkiye and the obstacles he faced along the way. Through these firsthand accounts, the documentary presents the anatomy of an uncompromising struggle that continues to inspire entrepreneurs and innovators.