Entrepreneur, graduate engineer and industrialist Özdemir Bayraktar, who died on October 18, 2021, spent his last 20 years of work dedicated to the national UCAVs for the full independence of Türkiye.
When he died, Özdemir Bayraktar had carried out many works of crucial importance for the National Technology Move.
“Our work will continue uninterrupted with all our might until our country achieves the goal of complete independence and global leadership in UAV technologies.” Bayraktar emphasized that a strong Türkiye with a strong army was essential in this geography, and he dedicated his 72-year-old life to this ideal.
Özdemir Bayraktar led many original machine design and manufacturing processes as well as part processing equipment design processes for the precision machining sector at Baykar, which he founded with a single drilling machine.
Bayraktar, which played a leading role in Baykar's national and unique unmanned aircraft technology development initiative, took an active and leading role in the implementation of these projects at every stage, from the design phase to the prototype phase, from the manufacturing phase to investment planning. Over time, Baykar has become one of the world's leading manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems.
The company he founded, Baykar, brought Türkiye a leading position in the global UAV export market.
After the death of Bayraktar, the pioneer of the National Technology Move ideal, a number of projects were implemented and various donations were made by various institutions and organizations, especially Baykar and the T3 Foundation, to keep his memory alive and to continue the efforts he had made throughout his life with lasting works and events.
Baykar, whose founder and honorary president is Özdemir Bayraktar, continues its technology production uninterrupted with the aim of a “strong Türkiye” at the Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center named after its founder.
Founded by Özdemir Bayraktar, Baykar became the defense and aviation industry export leader in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, according to the Turkish Exporters Assembly.
Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of Baykar, one of the world's leading technology companies, and Haluk Bayraktar, General Manager, became Türkiye's largest taxpayers in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. In 2024, Selçuk Bayraktar paid 2.77 billion lira and Haluk Bayraktar paid 2.52 billion lira in income tax.
Baykar has derived more than 90 percent of its revenue from exports in recent years, accounting for a quarter of exports in the defense and aerospace sectors alone in 2024. This makes Türkiye a leader in the global UAV export market.
Özdemir Bayraktar Science Centers connect young people with science and technology
In memory of Özdemir Bayraktar, the TÜBİTAK MAM Campus in Kocaeli Gebze and the Özdemir Bayraktar Mosque projects of the 3rd Army Command in Erzincan were implemented with donations from Baykar.
With the contributions of Istanbul Technical University (ITU), ITU 1773 Teknopark and Baykar, ITU Özdemir Bayraktar Design and Prototyping Center and Kabataş Boys' High School Özdemir Bayraktar UAV Workshop were founded by Baykar.
Science centers, which are meeting places for children and young people with science and technology, also played an important role in the projects implemented on behalf of Özdemir Bayraktar. Özdemir Bayraktar Science Center in Trabzon has become an important meeting point for technology with the facilities and equipment created.
Teaching materials and equipment were also donated to Canik Özdemir Bayraktar Discovery Campus and Özdemir Bayraktar Başakşehir Science Center.
The Özdemir Bayraktar Discovery Campus, which was created with contributions from the Governor of Samsun, Canik Municipality, T3 Foundation, University of Samsun, Ondokuz Mayıs University and the Samsun Provincial Directorate of National Education, was implemented as a “Children's University” project to bring science and technology together with children.
Özdemir Bayraktar Science Culture Life Park opened in Başakşehir, Istanbul. There is a science center and a DENEYAP workshop in the park.
Scholarship support for 23,000 students with the Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Scholarship Program
Baykar has implemented the Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Scholarship Program through the T3 Foundation from 2022. Under the scholarship program, scholarship support will be provided to secondary, senior, bachelor's, master's and doctoral students who have the vision of the National Technology Move and are willing to contribute to the development of Türkiye's domestic and national technology.
With the scholarship support provided to a total of 5,000 people in 81 provinces this year, the total number of students receiving scholarships under the Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Scholarship Program will reach 23,000.
The Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Scholarship Program will be implemented in 2026 in 6 categories: Rising Star Scholarship Program, Education Support Scholarship Program, Trainer-Mentor Scholarship Program, You Are the Future Scholarship Program, T3 AI Undergraduate Researcher Scholarship Program and Ethical Communication Program. Each title aims to support young people's academic development, increase their awareness of social responsibility and increase their interest in technology by appealing to different age groups and disciplines.
On the other hand, a travel program “Let a Child Come and Touch a Plane” will be organized as part of the aviation, space and technology festival TEKNOFEST in memory of Özdemir Bayraktar. Thousands of students from different cities in Türkiye have the opportunity to attend TEKNOFEST thanks to the program.
Teknopark Esenler Özdemir Bayraktar Campus is being constructed by Esenler Municipality, Informatics Valley, Ibn Haldun University, ITU, Istanbul University, Yıldız Technical University (YTU), Entertech Istanbul Teknokent and YTU Yıldız Teknopark.
The Özdemir Bayraktar Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics was established in a building converted from a tobacco hangar by the University of Samsun. The Sultangazi Özdemir Bayraktar Youth and Cultural Center was founded by the Sultangazi Municipality.
He took a leading role in Baykar's initiative to develop national and unique unmanned aerial vehicle technology.
Özdemir Bayraktar was born in 1949 in the Garipçe village of Sarıyer. After graduating from Kabataş Boys' High School, he graduated from Istanbul Technical University in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in 1972. He completed his master's degree in internal combustion engines.
Bayraktar worked as a technical manager in the establishment and reinvestment of many factories that played a leading role in Türkiye's industrial sector (Burdur Traktör, İstanbul Segman, Uzel and similar). He married Canan Bayraktar, who graduated from Istanbul University's Faculty of Economics and worked as a computer programmer at the Turkish Industrial Development Bank. The couple Özdemir and Canan Bayraktar had three children from this marriage named Haluk, Selçuk and Ahmet.
Bayraktar participated in the founding of Baykar Makina in 1984 to contribute to localization efforts for the automotive industry. Bayraktar, which played a leading role in Baykar's national and unique unmanned aircraft technology development initiative, took an active and leading role in the implementation of these projects at every stage, from the design phase to the prototype phase, from the manufacturing phase to investment planning.
He led the studies carried out together with the soldiers in the Southeast Anatolia region between 2005 and 2009, when research and development studies were carried out on the Bayraktar Mini UAV, the first unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Baykar for the Turkish Armed Forces.
Özdemir Bayraktar, who draws the designs of all Baykar nationally and uniquely developed products, is also the owner of the original designs that give character to Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA.
Özdemir Bayraktar was awarded the Order of Karabakh by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in 2021 for the contribution of Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs, nationally and uniquely developed by Baykar, to the liberation of Karabakh from Armenian occupation.
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