Haber7.com interviewed Mahmut Akşit during the International Defence Industry Fair. Speaking about the PD-170 engine, which is already in use at ANKA and Aksungur UAVs, Akşit said they had delivered an engine to Baykar. “They are working for the integration of engine to the system,” Akşit said. Akşit did not underline that it would be PD-170. It could be commented that the engine could be a PD-180ST or PD-225ST, which belong to the same PD-170 family.
Bayraktar Chief Technical Manager Selçuk Bayraktar gave more hints about the current status of UAV and the engine.
Speaking on the delivery ceremony of Akıncı UAV, Bayraktar said, “we hope that TB3 will have its maiden flight next year.” According to TRT television, Bayraktar also said, “We are in a more advanced position than the preliminary design phase. We are designing the body of TB3. The aviation computers will be transferred from TB2, and they will be adopted to TB3. There are even systems to be transferred from Akıncı. We will develop the body and qualify it. TB2 has a simple engine. TEI has manufactured a very successful diesel engine. This engine is very important for the success of TB3. It has high performance. There is no off-the-shelve ready engine.”
