Turkey's new ‘drone killer’ takes first flight
Turkey's anti-drone product, Fedai, can fly to altitudes of 5,000 metres and is "100% carbon, a feature that’s unique in the world."
The drone killer, called Fedai, was developed for neutralising combat drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Turkey's new defence product known as the "drone killer" has successfully completed its first flight.
The drone killer, called Fedai, was developed for neutralising combat drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Guray Ali Canli, the head of the firm Transvaro, which makes Fedai, said on Friday that it took its first flight this October.
He stressed that there is a strong foreign demand for the product and that they are preparing to meet this demand.
Fedai is being showcased as part of SAHA Expo, a major Turkish defence event which began on Wednesday in Istanbul.
The four-day expo is showcasing Turkish defence products including UAVs, weapons, radar systems, and land and naval vehicles.
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Guray Ali Canli's firm Transvaro not only sells Fedai but also "a complete system" including radar, thermal cameras, jammers, and other unites.
Air defence system
The first 10 specimens of the drone-killer were manufactured through mass production, Canli said.
The firm prepared a five-vehicle concept for the product, including one vehicle for the control system, other one for radar, thermal camera, and jammer, and three vehicles for multi-launchers.
The firm developed two types of the product, Fedai 101 and Fedai 102, the latter, created at the request of a Southeast Asian country, able to fly at an altitude of 5,000 metres (16,400 feet).
Customers see Fedai as a low-altitude air defence system, not just a drone-killer, he said.
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Carbon-made Fedai is equipped with a camera, lidar, and thermal camera, said Canli.
100% carbon design
The product is "100% carbon, a feature that’s unique in the world,” said Canli.
Canli explained that the anti-drone can currently be launched from multi-launcher and launcher tubes and that they are working on a shoulder-launched version which does not require a radar system for short-range operations.
Fedai will soon be one of the Turkish defence industry’s most important export products, he said.
The first deliveries of Fedai are expected early next year, January and February.
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