KASIRGA Vertical Take-Off Kamikaze UAV, developed by BAYKAR's company in Azerbaijan, Bayraktar Teknoloji Azerbaijan, was introduced to the public for the first time within the scope of ADEX 2026.
Bayraktar Teknoloji Azerbaijan (BTA), BAYKAR's technology company in Azerbaijan, presented its new unmanned aerial vehicle, KASIRGA, to the public for the first time. The platform started to be exhibited within the scope of ADEX 2026 International Defense Industry Fair held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
ADEX 2026, held at Baku Expo Center between September 30 and October 2, stands out as one of Azerbaijan's important international organizations in the field of defense and security technologies. KASIRGA was one of the new systems exhibited for the first time at the fair.
The development of KASIRGA also marks an important stage for Bayraktar Teknoloji Azerbaijan. It is stated that the system, which is the first platform of the company established in 2022, was developed by Azerbaijani engineers and technicians working within BTA. Thus, the platform shows that BAYKAR's activities in Azerbaijan are not limited to the use and integration of existing Turkish systems, but that local engineering and product development activities continue.
Vertical take-off and landing capability
One of the most striking features of KASIRGA is its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability.
In this way, the platform eliminates the need for a long runway as in classical fixed-wing UAVs. According to the information disclosed, KASIRGA can take off and land autonomously in different terrain conditions or via wheeled vehicles.
The system uses four electric motors during the hover and horizontal flight phases. This architecture allows KASIRGA to perform both vertical take-off and landing and horizontal flight during the mission.
It is also noteworthy that the platform is not designed only as a single-use attack system. KASIRGA was developed to be used in reconnaissance and surveillance missions as well as in loitering ammunition/kamikaze UAV missions.
It is stated that in the configuration used in the reconnaissance-surveillance mission, the platform can return to the base after the mission. This feature shows that KASIRGA's mission structure is not limited to the concept of a disposable ammunition that only targets and destroys the target.
33 kilogram takeoff weight
According to the announced technical data, KASIRGA's maximum takeoff weight is 33 kilograms.
The payload capacity that the platform can carry is announced as 6 kilograms. For kamikaze missions, the system has a warhead of approximately 5 kilograms.
This structure places KASIRGA in a different category from large-class UAVs. Thanks to its lower weight and vertical take-off-landing architecture, the system is positioned as a more compact unmanned system that small units or mobile elements may need.
Artificial intelligence supported electro-optical system
One of the important components of KASIRGA is the artificial intelligence supported electro-optical camera system.
The aim is to process the images obtained through the platform's electro-optical sensors with artificial intelligence-supported systems. According to the information disclosed, this structure is used to detect targets and support the autonomous mobility of the platform during the mission.
KASIRGA's autonomous flight architecture also includes technologies such as resistance to electronic jamming, visual positioning and combining data obtained from different sensors.
This approach aims to enable the platform to use the data obtained from its environment during the flight process, rather than just being a UAV that follows a predetermined route.
More than 80 kilometers communication distance
Another important data announced for KASIRGA is the communication capacity.
It is stated that the direct communication distance of the platform is over 80 kilometers. In addition, it is stated that KASIRGA can use Bayraktar TB2, TB3 or AKINCI platforms as communication relays.
This approach aims to ensure that KASIRGA's mission area is not limited only to the distance at which it can communicate directly with the ground control station. By using another UAV in the air as a relay, it becomes possible for the system to benefit from the communication infrastructure in missions at longer distances.
Different ranges for kamikaze and reconnaissance missions
Operation radii announced according to KASIRGA's mission type are also different from each other.
It is stated that the platform can operate within a radius of 60 kilometers in kamikaze missions and within a radius of 90 kilometers in reconnaissance-surveillance missions.
The difference here comes from the requirements of the two mission types. In the reconnaissance mission, the aim is for the platform to return after completing the mission, while in the kamikaze mission, the system performs a one-way mission towards the target.
KASIRGA expands Baykar's unmanned system family
The emergence of KASIRGA stands out as part of a wider product family when evaluated together with the different classes of unmanned systems that BAYKAR has recently developed.
In addition to systems such as K2 Kamikaze UAV, MOSQUITO Wandering Ammunition and MIZRAK Smart Wandering Ammunition developed by BAYKAR in Turkey, KASIRGA, developed in Azerbaijan, also appears to be included in this ecosystem with a different architecture. BAYKAR's current product family includes platforms with different mission concepts such as TB2, TB3, AKINCI, KIZILELMA and KALKAN DİHA.
The main point that distinguishes KASIRGA from these systems is that it was developed by the local engineering team in Azerbaijan and combines vertical take-off and landing architecture with kamikaze/reconnaissance missions.
Exhibited for the first time at ADEX 2026
The first public display of HURRICAN at ADEX 2026 reveals that the platform has moved from the development process to the exhibition stage. However, the information announced today does not mean that the system has entered the operational inventory or has been delivered to a specific user.
The data disclosed at this stage is mainly limited to the platform's architecture, mission concept and basic technical features. There is no confirmed calendar in public sources regarding KASIRGA's mass production schedule, operational use date, delivery plan and whether it will be used by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
The emergence of KASIRGA as BTA's first platform indicates a new product development phase for BAYKAR activities in Azerbaijan.
