Intro
The BULUT UAV is a medium-class autonomous aerial platform designed for long-endurance ISR missions in both military and civilian operational environments. Developed by HAVELSAN, the system is optimized for sub-cloud operations, enabling effective intelligence gathering in low- to mid-altitude airspace where visibility and responsiveness are critical. The platform operates at a ceiling altitude of 15,000 ft and a typical operating altitude of 8,000 ft, allowing it to cover wide operational areas while maintaining high-quality surveillance and communication capabilities.
The aircraft features a hybrid propulsion architecture, utilizing electric motors for vertical take-off and landing and a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine for forward flight. This combination enables runway-independent deployment while achieving extended endurance. With a flight endurance of up to 6 hours, BULUT is capable of sustained missions such as border surveillance, infrastructure monitoring, and continuous reconnaissance operations.
BULUT is engineered for stable operation in varying environmental conditions, with wind resistance of up to 20 knots during take-off and landing and up to 25 knots during cruise flight. This ensures reliable performance across both vertical and forward flight phases, even in moderately challenging weather conditions. Additionally, the system is capable of operating in light rain and adverse environmental conditions, enhancing mission continuity in real-world deployments.
The UAV integrates a fully autonomous flight system, allowing it to execute missions independently, including waypoint navigation, collision avoidance, and automatic return-to-home in case of communication loss. It supports EO/IR/LRF payload systems for day and night surveillance, target tracking, and coordinate estimation. The platform also incorporates anti-jamming GNSS (CRPA with 8 antennas) and telemetry redundancy, enabling reliable operation in GPS-contested or electronically degraded environments. Designed to operate within HAVELSAN’s Digital Troops ecosystem, BULUT can collaborate with other unmanned systems and act as a communication relay node in multi-platform operations.