Türkiye's Baykar maintains leadership in global UCAV exports
An aerial view of Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) produced by Turkish defense giant Baykar, Tekirdağ, northwestern Türkiye, Jan. 5, 2026. (IHA Photo)


Türkiye's drone pioneer, Baykar, maintained its leadership in the global armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UCAV) export market with $2.2 billion in exports in 2025, the company said on Saturday.

According to a statement from the company, Baykar, which develops Türkiye's indigenous UCAVs, continued to be the world's largest exporter in its product segment in 2025. Having led the global market for the past three years, Baykar renewed its own record last year with export volumes reaching $2.2 billion.

The company, known worldwide for developing highly successful aerial platforms, has also become a driving force behind Türkiye's high-technology exports.

Baykar generated $2.5 billion in total revenue last year, with 88% coming from exports, it said.

Data announced at the fifth Defense and Aerospace Industry Global Strategies Conference, organized by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), showed that Baykar ranked second among Türkiye's top defense exporters, while maintaining a clear lead in unmanned aerial vehicle exports.

Operating entirely with self-financed projects, Baykar has derived 83% of its total revenues from exports since launching its UAV R&D activities in 2003. With $1.8 billion in exports in 2023, Baykar ranked among the top 10 exporting companies across all sectors in Türkiye.

As the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle exporter, Baykar sustained its global success in 2024 as well, generating 90% of its revenues from exports and achieving export figures of $1.8 billion. By ranking among Türkiye's top 10 exporters across all sectors in both 2023 and 2024, Baykar received the "Export Champions Award."

According to data from the Presidency of Defense Industries and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Baykar was the export leader of the defense and aerospace sector in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. In 2023, the company alone accounted for one-third of the sector’s total exports, while in 2024 it generated one-quarter of total defense and aerospace exports, positioning Türkiye as the global leader in the UCAV export market.

The world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, Baykar, has signed export agreements with 37 countries, including 36 for its famed Bayraktar TB2 and 16 for the Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV.