SELÇUK BAYRAKTAR

Short Resume

The architect of Türkiye’s first indigenous (armed) UAV systems and first indigenous unmanned fighter jet, Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Selçuk Bayraktar was born in Sarıyer, Istanbul in 1979.

Having graduated from the prestigious Robert College in 1997, Bayraktar received his bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 2002. He proceeded to earn his first master’s degree from UPenn’s Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering in 2004 and conducted groundbreaking research on UAV formation flights and robot coordination. Bayraktar subsequently worked on automatic flight control algorithms for unmanned helicopter systems during his graduate and doctoral studies at MIT, where he received his second master’s degree. He returned to Türkiye in 2007 to resume Baykar’s efforts to develop unmanned aerial vehicle technologies.

Selçuk Bayraktar has been serving as Baykar’s Chief Technology Officer since 2007 and Chairman of the Board since 2021. His work at the company focuses on the avionics architecture of indigenous UAV systems, the development of flight control and cruise algorithms, system kinematics and dynamics, and electronic equipment and embedded software.

At Baykar, Bayraktar led the team that developed the Bayraktar Mini UAV, Türkiye’s first indigenous drone, and the Bayraktar TB2 (armed) UAV, which experts have described as the world’s best drone in its class. Having operated for more than 700,000 flight hours, the Bayraktar TB2 has been exported to 31 countries as of September 2023. Bayraktar also developed the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, Türkiye’s first combat drone with a maximum takeoff weight of 6 tons, delivered it to the Turkish Armed Forces in 2021, and exported it to eight countries by September 2023.

Selçuk Bayraktar currently leads the teams developing Cezeri, Türkiye’s first flying car prototype, as well as the Bayraktar TB3 armed UAV, which will be capable of taking off from and landing on short-runway carriers, and the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter jet that completed its maiden flight on 14 Dec. 2022 – ahead of the original target of 2023.

As part of the development efforts led by Bayraktar, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA successfully conducted formation flights, for the first time in global aviation history, as two combat UAVs, AKINCI UCAV and KIZILELMA Unmanned Fighter Jet, completed multiple close formation flights – another unprecedented achievement.

Bayraktar also focuses on space with his technology venture, Fergani Space Technologies, where he oversees the development of low-orbit satellite clusters and orbital transfer vehicles.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Selçuk Bayraktar led Türkiye’s efforts to build indigenous intensive care ventilators, which was ultimately co-produced by BIOSYS, BAYKAR, ASELSAN and ARÇELIK and exported or gifted to countries around the world.

He also continues his work with the CANSAĞLIĞI Foundation, which he founded and where he serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, to support scientific projects on genetics, immunology and rare diseases.

Selçuk Bayraktar was awarded the Order of Karabakh by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on 1 April 2021 in recognition of the Bayraktar TB2 armed UAV’s contributions to Karabakh’s liberation. He also received the State Order of Merit on orders from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022.

The T3 Foundation, where Bayraktar serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, supports talented young people with the potential to develop indigenous and original technology and holds training sessions. Spearheading the National Technology Initiative, the Foundation also hosts TEKNOFEST, the world’s largest aerospace and technology event. TEKNOFEST took place in Azerbaijan in 2022 – a reflection of its growing impact beyond Türkiye’s borders.

Selçuk Bayraktar married Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar in 2016. The couple has a daughter. Selçuk holds a private pilot license.
 

Detailed Resume

The architect of Türkiye’s first indigenous (armed) unmanned aerial vehicles and first indigenous unmanned fighter jet Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Selçuk Bayraktar serves as Chairman of the Board at Baykar Technologies and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the T3 Foundation.

Bayraktar completed his primary education at Sarıyer Elementary School and graduated from the prestigious Robert College. Having pursued an undergraduate degree at Istanbul Technical University’s Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering in 1997-2002, he joined UPenn’s GRASP Laboratory as an intern and attended the graduate program in Electrical Engineering at UPenn in 2002-2004 by receiving a scholarship during his internship. As part of his research, Bayraktar conducted unprecedented experiments on UAV formation flight, the coordination of aerial and ground robot teams, and flight control and guidance systems – which have since been discussed in scientific publications.

Upon receiving his master’s degree from UPenn, Bayraktar received an offer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to pursue graduate and doctoral degrees with a full scholarship and proceeded to work on automatic flight control algorithms that would enable unmanned helicopter systems to perform aggressive maneuvers. He received his second master’s degree from MIT’s Department of Aerospace Engineering in 2006 and, despite having enrolled in the PhD program at Georgia Tech, returned to Türkiye to oversee Baykar’s efforts to develop indigenous and original unmanned aerial vehicles – which the company launched in 2003.

His current work focuses on the architecture of the avionic systems of indigenous and original UAV systems, the development of flight control and cruise algorithms, system kinematics and dynamics, and the development of electronic equipment and embedded software.

His most prominent works include the Bayraktar Mini UAV, Türkiye’s first indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle, the Bayraktar TB2 (armed) UAV, widely considered the world’s best aircraft in its class, that joined the Turkish military inventory in 2014, has been exported to 31 countries (as of Sept. 2023) and completed over 700,000 flight hours. Selçuk Bayraktar and his team also developed the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, Türkiye’s first combat unmanned aerial vehicle with a maximum takeoff weight of 6 tons, and delivered it to the Turkish Armed Forces in 2021. The Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV has been exported to eight countries (as of Sept. 2023).

Developing indigenous and original technology outside the defense industry as well, Bayraktar oversees the team developing CEZERI, Türkiye’s first flying car prototype. He currently leads the development projects for the Bayraktar TB3 armed UAV, which will be able to land on and take off from short-runway carriers, and the Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft, Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter jet.

KIZILELMA completed its maiden flight on 14 December 2022 – ahead of the target date of 2023. As part of its development efforts, led by Selçuk Bayraktar, it completed formation flights – a first in global aviation history. AKINCI UCAV and KIZILELMA, unmanned combat aerial vehicles, successfully conducted multiple close formation flights, which were unprecedented in global aviation history. 

Bayraktar also works on space through the technology initiative Fergani. At Fergani Space Technologies, he leads projects for the development of low-orbit satellite clusters and orbital transfer vehicles.

Bayraktar played a lead role in Türkiye’s fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, which impacted the world in December 2019, and worked on indigenous intensive care ventilators. As a result of that effort, BIOSYS, BAYKAR, ASELSAN AND ARÇELIK built an indigenous ventilator that Türkiye exported or gifted to countries around the globe. Bayraktar continues his efforts in healthcare through the Canan Bayraktar Public Health Foundation (CANSAĞLIĞI Foundation), which he founded and where he serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The CANSAĞLIĞI Foundation supports research projects by scientists working on psychology, psychiatry, genetics, immunology, oncology and rare diseases, and aims to promote individual and public health.

Selçuk Bayraktar received the Order of Karabakh from the Republic of Azerbaijan in recognition of the contributions of the Bayraktar TB2, Baykar’s indigenous and original product, to Karabakh’s liberation from Armenian occupation. Having presented the medal to Bayraktar at a ceremony in Baku on 1 April 2021, President Ilham Aliyev announced that Bayraktar deserved recognition for “strengthening the fraternal relationship between Azerbaijan and Türkiye in line with the principle of one nation-two states, further developing bilateral cooperation, and his contributions to ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.”

Bayraktar was also awarded the State Order of Merit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022. His medal was presented by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, during his visit to Türkiye on 2 October 2022.

Selçuk Bayraktar continues to encourage talented young people and individuals of all ages to participate in technology development processes at the Türkiye Technology Team (T3) Foundation which he founded.

The T3 Foundation promotes the development of strategically-important products, systems and components, whose indigenous and original production represents a priority due to global competition, and supports enterprises and R&D projects. To make Türkiye’s National Technology Initiative vision a reality, Bayraktar leads the Foundation’s scientific work as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

For the purpose of spreading his passion for aerospace, which he deems crucial to the National Technology Initiative, to the entire society, Bayraktar hosts TEKNOFEST, Türkiye’s first and only aerospace festival, with his team and partner institutions. TEKNOFEST, whose impact exceeds national borders, took place in Azerbaijan in 2022.

Selçuk Bayraktar and Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, who married in 2016, have a daughter. Selçuk Bayraktar holds a private pilot license.

Patents

• Automatic Landing and Takeoff System for Aerial Vehicles (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office 2015/07928)

• Electromechanical Servo Motor Actuator Capable of Detecting Changing Operational Conditions and Control Method (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office 2015/14111)

• Triple-Redundant Flight Control System (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office Ref: PT2015-00693)

• ECG Device (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office Ref: PT2015-00693)

Scientific Publications