Türkiye’s Bayraktar TB2 UCAV launches FPV drones in strike test

Two attack drones launched from a Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) struck their targets during a flight test in northwestern Türkiye, Turkish defense firm Baykar said Wednesday.

The TB2 took off from the Kesan Flight Training and Test Center in Edirne province carrying 16 first-person-view (FPV) drones developed by Skydagger. It released two of them over the test area, Baykar said.

After launch, the TB2 served as an airborne communications relay. Operators used the link to steer the smaller drones into their targets. FPV drones give operators a pilot’s-eye view through an onboard camera.

The test adds to the strike capabilities of an aircraft that entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014 and was first armed in 2015.

In addition to flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions, the TB2 can use its onboard laser to designate targets and carry up to four guided munitions, including Roketsan’s MAM-L and MAM-C.

The TB2 fleet surpassed 1 million flight hours in 2024, a decade after the aircraft entered service, according to Baykar.

Baykar said it has signed export agreements with 36 countries for the TB2 and 16 for its Akinci combat drone, covering 39 countries across the two programs. The company’s exports reached a record $2.2 billion in 2025, and overseas sales have accounted for about 90% of its revenue in recent years.