Istanbul: BAYKAR, Turkey’s leading drone manufacturer, on Saturday introduced its new kamikaze unarmed aerial drone, the K2, accompanied by a promotional video set to the tune of Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2. The drone is equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based flight and targeting system.
According to the company, the K2 can fly autonomously in swarm formations and uses AI vision for navigation, targeting, and strike capability. The drone has a range of over 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), carries a 200-kilogram (440-pound) warhead, and has a maximum takeoff weight of 800 kilograms.
The K2 can operate from small or unprepared runways and is reusable for multiple missions. BAYKAR, one of Turkey’s most prominent UAV manufacturers, has previously exported several drone platforms, including the Tactical BAYKAR TB2, High-Altitude BAYKAR Akıncı, BAYKAR TB3 (aircraft-mounted), and Jet-powered BAYKAR Kızılelma.
The promotional video showcases the drone taking off, flying in swarms, and performing coordinated maneuvers, with Dmitri Shostakovich’s famous Waltz No. 2 playing in the background. Composed in 1938, the piece is known for its “dark cabaret” style, blending cheerful cabaret melodies with undertones of melancholy and dramatic harmonies.
