Bayraktar TB2

The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) tactical unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Baykar of Turkey, first flown in 2014. Designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision-strike missions, it is one of the most widely exported armed drones of the 2020s.

Overview

The TB2 was developed by Baykar, a privately held Turkish defence company headquartered in Istanbul, as a successor to the earlier Bayraktar TB1 technology demonstrator. It is normally fielded as a complete system comprising the aircraft itself, a ground control station, a ground data terminal, a remote video terminal and supporting generator and trailer units, all produced domestically by Baykar.

A lightweight carbon-fibre composite airframe and a triple-redundant avionics suite allow the TB2 to taxi, take off, cruise and land autonomously. Since entering service in the mid-2010s, it has been adopted by the Turkish Armed Forces, Gendarmerie and National Police, and later exported to a growing list of countries across Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa.

Design and capabilities

The TB2 has a wingspan of 12 m and a length of 6.4 m, with a maximum take-off weight of 700 kg and a payload capacity of 150 kg. Power comes from a 100 hp internal-combustion engine driving a pusher propeller, giving a manufacturer-quoted endurance of more than 18 hours and a service ceiling of roughly 6,100 m (20,000 ft). Baykar lists a maximum speed of about 204 km/h and a cruise speed near 167 km/h. The type also holds a Turkish aviation endurance record of 27 hours and 3 minutes, set during test flights rather than in routine operational use.

The airframe carries electro-optical and infrared sensor turrets for reconnaissance, and can be fitted with small precision-guided munitions — including laser-guided weapons developed by Turkish state-owned Roketsan — for strike missions. Baykar reports that the worldwide TB2 fleet has together logged more than 1.25 million operational flight hours.

Operational history

The TB2 entered Turkish military service in the mid-2010s and remains in front-line use with the Turkish Armed Forces, Gendarmerie and National Police. Confirmed export operators include Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Qatar, Poland and Morocco, along with Libyan government-aligned forces. Azerbaijan operated the type during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Ukraine has flown the TB2 since before Russia's 2022 invasion, including aircraft funded in part through a public crowdfunding campaign. The TB2 is also recorded as the first UAV in its weight class to be exported abroad by a Turkish manufacturer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the range of the Bayraktar TB2?

Baykar does not publish an official ferry range; the aircraft's datalink with its ground control station extends to roughly 300 km, per public reporting on the type.

How long can the Bayraktar TB2 stay airborne?

The manufacturer lists a standard endurance of more than 18 hours, and the type holds a Turkish aviation endurance record of 27 hours and 3 minutes.

Who makes the Bayraktar TB2?

It is designed and built by Baykar, a privately owned Turkish defence company headquartered in Istanbul.

Which countries operate the Bayraktar TB2?

Confirmed operators include Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Qatar, Poland and Morocco, among other export customers.

What is the payload capacity of the Bayraktar TB2?

The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 700 kg and can carry up to 150 kg of payload, including sensors and precision-guided munitions.

When did the Bayraktar TB2 first fly?

The TB2 first flew in 2014 and entered operational service with Turkish forces shortly afterward.