STM TURUL VTOL UAV Successful Test Flights

TURUL VTOL UAV [© STM]

STM’s TURUL next-generation VTOL UAV, featuring vertical take-off and landing capabilities, continues its test flight with high success.

Press Release, Ankara, 09 May 2026: The STM VTOL TURUL – a vertical take-off and landing system first unveiled at the IDEF-2025 Fair – has successfully cleared critical milestones in its field-testing phase.

Optimized for intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance (ISR) missions and excelling in sub-cloud operations, the Fixed-Wing STM VTOL UAV System received full marks for its autonomous capabilities during recent test flights. The latest footage from the field showcases the TURUL executing autonomous take-off and navigation, followed by the successful tracking of stationary and moving targets, before concluding with a precision landing. While qualification testing continues, STM is simultaneously carrying out mass production readiness activities. Combining its identity as a ‘strategic hunter’ and ‘guide’ from its mythological roots with modern technology, TURUL provides uninterrupted observation and dominance in challenging geographies.

Commenting on the successful ongoing testing of the TURUL system, STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz highlighted the platform’s significance in modern combat doctrine: “In today’s defence ecosystem, the value of a platform lies not just in its flight capability, but in how rapidly and securely it processes data from the field. We have developed a solution that eliminates the need for runway infrastructure by combining the operational range advantages of our fixed-wing UAVs with the flexibility of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). Capable of taking off and landing from naval platforms or any land-based point, the TURUL VTOL provides uninterrupted intelligence without losing the video feed – even in harsh weather and missions requiring high altitude – thanks to its sub-cloud operational capability.

“Equipped with high electronic warfare resistance and indigenous software, this system adds another cornerstone to our vision of full independence in everything from border security to the protection of strategic facilities.”

Precision Landing with QR Code and mmWave Radar: The test flights successfully demonstrated the system’s QR code marker-based landing and mmWave radar support, enabling the TURUL VTOL to return to a designated point with millimetre-level precision autonomously. With a flight endurance exceeding 2 hours and a mission range of 200 kilometres, the system provides an end-to-end solution for tactical reconnaissance, area surveillance, and target acquisition.

Extended Mission Endurance with TURUL: Developed by STM, the Fixed-Wing TURUL VTOL UAV System offers versatile utility for both military and civilian operations through its runway-independent structure and autonomous mission capabilities. Distinguished by its long endurance and high payload capacity, the system can autonomously perform ISR, munition drop, and surface mine detection missions. Capable of day and night operations via integrated EO/IR imaging systems, TURUL can be mission-ready in a short time with just a single operator.

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