Turkey has developed the first unmanned helicopter for the military
Alpin can report to the operator or manage the flight independently. The helicopter is equipped with cameras and other useful equipment with a total weight of up to 200 kg.
Titra is developing Turkey’s first unmanned helicopter called Alpin.
Titra promises to produce 10 Alpin helicopters annually, in addition to the 250 kamikaze drones it already produces in its factories. The Turkish government has put the project on the list of priority investments, which means that the company will receive state subsidies. One of the officials told the media that the state will start buying drones after the successful completion of field tests in the hope of exporting the new equipment to other countries.
Alpin’s design is based on the Italian Heli-Sport CH-7 manned ultralight helicopter. The drone has a length of 7 m, a width of 1.5 m, a height of 2.35 m and a main rotor diameter of 6.28 m. The Rotax 914 UL engine with a capacity of 115 horsepower allows it to reach speeds of up to 160 km/h and climb to a height of up to 5 km. In this case, the maximum flight range is 840 km, and the duration is 7 hours light or 2 hours with full load.
The device weighs only 340 kg, so it can be transported on trucks. The helicopter itself can lift a payload of 200 kg (including fuel) and carry several modules at the same time, such as hyperspectral synthetic aperture radars, electron-optical or infrared cameras.
A broadband satellite communication channel allows you to transmit information to operators in real time and work even in remote areas. The developers have equipped Alpin with an autopilot system that provides automatic takeoff and landing with turns. It is proposed to be used for military and civilian purposes, as well as in rescue operations.
Alpin will be the first unmanned helicopter in Turkey, but not in the whole world. Now NATO troops are testing a new military device Camcopter S-100 in Portugal. This helicopter is able to fly autonomously, looking for enemy ships or submarines.
