Baykar’s KALKAN VTOL UAV, intended for ISR and targeting missions, has been tested at 14500 ft altitude with an 18-hp internal combustion engine and BG-160 E/O. Silently proceeding with the KALKAN tests,
Baykar conducted the 30th test and reached 70 hours of flight with the platform.
Some design changes, such as the new electro-optical system BG-160 and fuselage, can be observed in the latest version. BG-160 incorporates day and thermal optics, as well as a laser designator.
Four vertical electric engines power KALKAN for take-off and landing, plus an 18-hp internal combustion engine from Erin Motor for flight. The UAV can fly at altitudes above 14000 ft with an endurance of seven hours.
The UAV can be used by bases or artillery units with observation and targeting capabilities. Usage of UAVs has been shown to decrease target acquirement time and improve accuracy for artillery, even with a simple share of coordinates during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Independence from the runway also paves the way for use on ships. Onboard the latter, KALKAN can act as a remote sensor against close-range threats like speed boats and kamikaze USVs, which are hard to detect by radars and even onboard optics.
