Türkiye Unveils New 'Swarm' Kamikaze Drone and Conducts Air-Launch Tests

The Turkish defense industry continues to expand its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities, introducing new operational concepts that range from swarm technologies to air-launched munitions.

Building on its previous work with First Person View (FPV) kamikaze drones—which are piloted via goggles or screens as if the operator were inside the aircraft—manufacturer SkyDagger has now expanded its rotary-wing portfolio with a new fixed-wing solution.

ENTER THE SKYDAGGER TOYCA 05

In a post on social media, Baykar General Manager Haluk Bayraktar officially announced Turkey's new kamikaze swarm UAV, the SKYDAGGER TOYCA 05.

Video footage accompanying the announcement showed the fixed-wing drone being launched from a catapult and performing aggressive flight maneuvers. Designed for high-intensity operations, the TOYCA 05 boasts an impressive array of features:

Range: 70 kilometers.

Payload: 5 kg high-explosive warhead.

Technology: Mesh swarm communication and anti-jamming protection.

Guidance: Capable of both FPV and fully autonomous flight.

SkyDagger reportedly has a production capacity exceeding 30,000 units per year for this fixed-wing platform, signaling a readiness for mass-scale deployment.

New Concept: Air-Launched Kamikaze Drones

In addition to the new hardware, SkyDagger released footage of a critical test demonstrating a new air-launch concept.

During the test, a SkyDagger 7 FPV kamikaze drone was successfully released from a Bayraktar KALKAN DİHA (Vertical Take-off and Landing UAV). This marks a successful integration where two different UAV systems operate in tandem to execute a mission.

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE

The integration allows the Bayraktar KALKAN DİHA, primarily designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence, to serve as an aerial carrier platform. By launching smaller munitions or kamikaze drones from the air, the system significantly extends the operational range and mission duration of the smaller drones, providing a flexible new capability for the Turkish Armed Forces.