Baykar’s KALKAN PT-8, a Vertical Take-off and Landing, has completed its test flight, reaching a communication range of 100 km+ at an altitude of 10,000 feet.
The Bayraktar KALKAN mini tactical UAV designed for ISR missions passed a milestone test. With autonomous navigation capabilities and automatic take-off and landing, the UAV, once in the air, switches to a fuel engine for efficient cruise flight.
The PT-8 has multiple landing options, including vertical, fuselage, and parachute, increasing its operational flexibility. With a maximum operational altitude of 8,000 feet and a service ceiling of 14,000 feet, the vehicle has accumulated 208 flight hours thus far. Baykar’s video shows the PT-8 has an over 100 km communication range. The 105 km is on-screen, but this range is not officially confirmed.
This UAV was tested for the long-range communication system, confirming its 100 km + communication range, which is crucial for extended mission durations. The UAV most probably uses Line-of-Sight communication technology. This means that the UAV at altimeter can communicate with the ground base from a 105 km distance. Once the altitude is increased, the communication range would also increase. The energy needed to increase the altitude has drawbacks to cruise range or endurance.
