Turkey, powered by its rapid advancements in drone technology, is redefining the global drone map. The turning point came during the 44-day Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020, where Azerbaijan’s air superiority, supported by drones, proved decisive. In particular, Turkish-made Bayraktar drones played a pivotal role in Azerbaijan’s victory and later gained global recognition during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where they were widely used to counter one of the world’s most powerful military forces.
Global Recognition for Baykar
According to Kerim Ülker from Dünya newspaper, U.S.-based defense publication The Defence Post has published a comprehensive ranking of the world’s leading drone manufacturers. Among the U.S.-dominated list, Turkey’s Baykar stands out, ranking third globally, making it the highest-ranked non-American company in the top three. Baykar, the producer of the famed Bayraktar TB2, Akıncı, and Kızılelma, was recognized for its innovation, scalability, and sustainability, as well as its fast-growing impact in the defense sector.
In the rankings:
1st: General Atomics (USA) – Producers of MQ-9A Reaper and MQ-9B SkyGuardian
2nd: Northrop Grumman (USA) – Makers of RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-4C Triton
3rd: Baykar (Turkey) – Recognized for their game-changing UAVs
17th: ASELSAN (Turkey) – The only state-backed firm on the list
Cultural Impact and Global Expansion
The success of Bayraktar drones has also had cultural and emotional resonance. In Azerbaijan and Ukraine, children have been named “Bayraktar,” songs and poems have been written, and games have been created around the brand. Baykar is currently investing in drone production facilities both in Ukraine and Azerbaijan, further strengthening Turkey’s defense ties with these nations.
Turkey Has the World’s Second Largest Military Drone Fleet
A joint report by Power Atlas and The Drone Databook revealed that Turkey has the second largest military drone fleet globally, with 1,421 UAVs, behind only the United States, which operates over 13,000 drones. Turkey’s arsenal is led by the Bayraktar TB2, a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV.
Other notable rankings include:
3rd: Poland – 1,209 drones, including Turkish-made UAVs
4th: Russia – 1,050 drones, primarily Orlan-10 models
Ukrainian Drone Firms Gaining Ground
Ukrainian companies have also surged in the rankings, with firms like TAF (22nd), Ukrspecsystems (65th), and Airlogix (85th) entering the global drone manufacturing spotlight — many producing engines or parts for Turkish UAVs.
Out of the top 100 global drone companies, 39 are U.S.-based, highlighting America’s continued dominance, though Turkey is rapidly closing the gap with its high-impact innovations.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök