The Turkish engineering company Titra has been chosen to receive government subsidies for its goal of producing the country's first unmanned helicopter, the Alpin.
Ankara has put the program on its "regional priority investment list," meaning the program will be receiving government incentives and support.
The Titra company announced that it will produce 10 Alpins annually, in addition to the 250 kamikaze drones it already produces.
"The government will be the buyer upon successful field tests, hoping that, once combat-proven, the system will be exported to friendly countries," an official said.
The Alpin helicopter is a long-range chopper that can be used for military, civilian, and rescue purposes. It is based on the Italian Heli-Sport CH-7 ultralight chopper.
The development of the Alpin aircraft dates back to 2019, when Titra signed a deal with UAVOS, a drone specialist with offices in the US, Canada, Spain, and Switzerland.
With the deal, Titra and UAVOS have partnered to convert CH-7s into dual-purpose, rotary-wing unmanned aircraft. The Alpin made its first flight in 2020.
The helicopter is 7 m long, 1.5 m wide, 2.35 m high, and has a rotor diameter of 6.28 m. It weighs 340 kg empty and can carry a maximum payload of 200 kg, including fuel. It can be easily transported in a vehicle.
The Alpin unmanned helicopter is able to carry multiple payloads, as well as transmit information in real time. Its wideband satellite communication channel makes it ideal for use in remote areas.
The Alpin aircraft features a fully redundant autopilot system, a fully autonomous take-off and landing system, remote ground control network capability, autorotation landing capability, and high-efficiency flight control.
The Alpin is a fixed-wing aircraft that is planned to be used for a variety of tasks including surveillance, mapping, and photography.
It is powered by a Rotax 914 UL engine with a power output of 115 hp.
Its maximum cruise speed is 160 km/h and it has a maximum range of 840 km. It can fly at altitudes of up to 5,000 m and has a maximum endurance of seven hours, or two hours when fully loaded.
