Drone found in Turkey that may be Russian Orlan 10
On 19 December, local residents discovered a crashed unmanned aerial vehicle in the countryside of Kocaeli province in northwestern Turkey. The Turkish Ministry of Interior reported that, according to preliminary data, it was a Russian Orlan 10 reconnaissance drone. This was reported by The Public with reference to Ilkha.com.
Security forces quickly cordoned off the area where the drone crashed and restricted access to civilians. According to the published photos, the drone was almost undamaged. It was taken to a special facility for technical and forensic examination. Experts are checking the communication systems, cameras and data carriers to establish the flight route, the reasons for the crash and possible tasks of the drone.
This is the third incident of unidentified drones in Turkish airspace within a week. On 15 December, Turkish F 16 fighter jets intercepted a drone that flew in from the Black Sea and did not respond to warnings. The drone was then destroyed in a safe area to avoid endangering civilians and air traffic.
Ankara emphasises that the investigation of both cases is being coordinated by the Ministry of Defence, national intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The Turkish authorities have already warned Russia and Ukraine of the need for increased caution in the Black Sea region.
The Orlan 10 is actively used by the Russian army for reconnaissance, fire adjustment and electronic warfare. According to publicly available data, the drone can stay in the air for up to 16 hours, reach speeds of around 110 kilometres per hour, and operate at a range of up to 600 kilometres.
The Turkish government assures that there is no threat to civilians, but any violation of the country's airspace is considered a serious security incident.
