KARABÜK (AA) – The “Unmanned Nano Helicopter” project developed by a company operating within the Karabük University (KBÜ) Technology Development Zone (Teknokent) in the defense industry sector has been awarded support from TÜBİTAK.

According to a statement from the university, the project prepared by Uludoğan Savunma Sanayi Teknoloji A.Ş. was selected as one of 45 projects to be supported under the “TÜBİTAK 1501 Industrial R&D Projects Support Program” out of 833 projects.

Seyfeddin Cevdet Uludoğan, chairman of the company’s board of directors, stated that the name of the project is “Development of a Nano-Class Unmanned Helicopter Suitable for Military and Civilian Use in Search and Rescue Observation Activities in Closed and Restricted Areas.”

Uludoğan explained that their work is continuing at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and that they aim to reach TRL 9 and have the project ready for serial production in 2025.

Uludoğan stated that upon completion of the project, they will be the second company in the world to complete an unmanned helicopter project in this class, saying, “Our goal with this helicopter is to develop an unmanned helicopter project suitable for use by special forces in military intelligence. The importance of this project is that it is developed and used by only one company in the world. We plan to compete as a domestic company from Turkey.”

Uludoğan emphasized that if they succeed, they will end their dependence on foreign countries in this field and produce a domestic solution for military strategic purposes, noting that the price of the unmanned helicopter, which has a very high added value share, is around $200,000.

Mentioning that they aim to produce the unmanned helicopter with domestic capabilities and offer it to the army at more affordable prices, Uludoğan said:

“It is a product with a very high added value per gram of export price. It incorporates high technology. It is very difficult to fit such high technology into such a small device, so there is currently no second company in the world that can do this. We can say that our unmanned nano helicopter has a higher field of view, a more advanced artificial intelligence module, and a longer flight time and resistance to adverse weather conditions. With its coaxial rotor structure and rear propeller, we have more stable flight and faster maneuverability. We are continuing the project with a more innovative approach. We are not imitating our competitor; we are working on a completely new product in that class.”