Türkiye sees 236% spike in drone pilot applications in 2026

Türkiye's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, said applications to become drone (UAV) pilots surged 236% in the first three months of 2026 compared to last year. "Since the start of 2026, 54,075 people have applied to become UAV pilots," he stated.

He added that under the Civil Aviation Authority (SHGM), a special registration system has been established for drones, making permissions, flights, and registrations easier. UAV usage has expanded in sectors such as agriculture, photography, cinema, mapping, traffic monitoring, security, delivery, and healthcare. Since the start of the year, 1,091 new drones have been registered. As of March 17, 77,616 drones are active, with 1,655,918 licensed UAV pilots in the system.