Baykar Bayraktar Tb2

Single Piston

The Bayraktar TB2 is a Turkish medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle that has become one of the most operationally proven armed drones in modern warfare. Developed by Baykar Defense beginning in the early 2010s and entering service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014, the TB2 gained international attention for its effectiveness in conflicts across Libya, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine, where it demonstrated the tactical impact of affordable precision strike capability against conventional forces. Unlike larger American Predator-class systems, the TB2 was designed from the outset as an exportable platform with a relatively low acquisition cost, making advanced ISR and strike capabilities accessible to mid-tier military powers. Powered by a single Rotax 912 piston engine, the same powerplant found in many light sport aircraft, the TB2 achieves endurance exceeding 27 hours at altitudes up to 25,000 feet, carrying laser-guided munitions and electro-optical sensors on hardpoints beneath its 39-foot wingspan. Its operational ceiling and loiter time allow persistent surveillance over contested areas, while its small radar cross-section and quiet engine make detection challenging for adversaries lacking integrated air defense networks. The TB2's combat record includes documented destruction of air defense systems, armored vehicles, and naval vessels, fundamentally altering tactical doctrine around unmanned systems in peer and near-peer conflicts. SkyMeter has tracked 1 flights across 1 airframes and 1 operators, with Government of Turkey the largest observed operator.