Turkey’s Unmanned Helicopter Modernized to for Military Missions

Turkey’s Titra Technology has modernized civilian unmanned mini chopper, Alpin, for military missions with possible weapon and ammunition integration.

Alpin was first used in the field during firefighting missions against the recent wildfires in Turkey’s south.

“This (firefighting mission) showed that, if unmanned helicopters are used for fire surveillance purposes, they can make a significant contribution to both pre-detection and determination of the direction of the growth of the fires, and in which direction the energy has shifted,” Selman Dönmez, head of Titra Technology, told government-owned Anadolu Agency (AA).

Dönmez added that Alpin can be used to detect fire zones even at night and can be an active decision support mechanism in operation processes, especially thanks to its night flight capability.

Dönmez revealed that they have now developed a new body for the unmanned helicopter, which they presented at the 15th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2021).

Changes have been made in the body design and aerodynamics of the chopper in line with the knowledge and experience gained through the first prototype development.

“We have strengthened Alpin for weapon and ammunition integration,” he said, adding that they have been conducting negotiations to present their product for military use.

“We think that the helicopter will be used in the near future, especially for logistical support, intelligence and image acquisition purposes,” Dönmez said.

Dönmez added that they are currently in touch with other defense industry firms to provide the helicopter with ammunition and weaponry.