The Vestel Karayel is a tactical-level Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) combat / non-combat Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) originating from Lentatek of Turkey. The aircraft is currently (2022) in active use with the armed forces of Turkey (where it originates) and Saudi Arabia (where it is marketed under the INTRA Defense Technologies, Ltd brand label). The former maintains a fleet of about ten aircraft while the latter manages a fleet of at least six units. A first-flight of the prototype form was recorded on April 30th, 2014 and over fifteen units have been built heading into 2022.
This air system is primarily designed for the ultra-critical over-battlefield Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) role and its value goes beyond military circles - the inherent versatility of the Karayel can be seen through civilian(humanitarian, Search and Rescue) and industry (oil and gas) sectors as well. To date, the platform has seen thousands of airborne hours across multiple operating environments. The unit can be deployed in under an hour and is relatively easy-to-operate while being a low-cost solution for the budget-conscious customer.
As built, the Karayel is arranged conventionally, with a centralized fuselage, wing mainplanes, and a traditional tailplane configuration. The mainplanes are shoulder-mounted and straight with clipped tips. The tail unit includes a single vertical plane with low-set horizontal planes. A two-bladed propeller unit is seated at the nose of the aircraft and the wheeled undercarriage if of tricycle arrangement and fixed during flight (non-retracting).
As an ISR platform, the optics / sensor fit is carried in a ventral fuselage blister unit which provides 360-degree vision of the terrain below. Target designation, InfraRed (IR) day / night, and Satellite Navigation (SATNAV), terrain avoidance, and autonomous take-off are all standard. Triple redundancy ensures safety of the aircraft as well as personnel on the ground as does lightning and ice protection. The navigation system is said to be "jam-resistant".
The airframe features an overall length of 21.3 feet, height of 8 feet, and a wingspan of 42.65 feet. Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) can reach 1,215lb. Power is from a conventional air-cooled, 4-stroke, horizontally-opposed engine developing 97 horsepower and used to drive a 4.8 foot diameter propeller mounted at the nose of the airframe. Performance specs include a maximum speed of 92 miles-per-hour, an endurance window of 20 hours, and a service ceiling between 18,000 feet and 22,500 feet.
The "Karayel-SU" is a variant of the Karayel family line, given extended mainplanes for improved stability and enhanced fuel economy while being cleared to carry attack munitions or even mission-specific equipment by way of a pair of hardpoints (resulting in four hardpoints in all). The aircraft can, therefore, be fielded with Precision-Guided Munitions (PGMs) including missiles, guided bombs, guided rockets, and air-launched mortars. The UAV is also capable of providing real-time rolling SATCOM (SATellite COMmunications) if modified as such.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Close-Air Support (CAS)
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
✓Special-Mission: Search & Rescue (SAR)
Ability to locate and extract personnel from areas of potential harm or peril (i.e. downed airmen in the sea).
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
RADAR-CAPABLE
Houses, or can house (through specialized variants), radar equipment for searching, tracking, and engagement of enemy elements.
RUGGED AIRFRAME
Inherent ability of airframe to take considerable damage.
HIGH-ALTITUDE PERFORMANCE
Can reach and operate at higher altitudes than average aircraft of its time.
EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE
Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.
MARITIME OPERATION
Ability to operate over ocean in addition to surviving the special rigors of the maritime environment.
UNMANNED OPERATION
Design features ability to fly sans pilot, actions controlled onboard through programming and / or ground-based operator.
AUTONOMOUS OPERATION
Design features autonomous flight operations made possible through onboard artificial intelligence or pre-programming.
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
Payload supports photographic equipment providing still and / or real-time image / video results.
Length
21.3 ft (6.50 m)
Width/Span
42.7 ft (13.00 m)
Height
8.0 ft (2.45 m)
Empty Wgt
1,047 lb (475 kg)
MTOW
1,235 lb (560 kg)
Wgt Diff
+187 lb (+85 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Vestel Karayel production variant)
monoplane / shoulder-mounted / straight
Monoplane
Design utilizes a single primary wing mainplane; this represent the most popular mainplane arrangement.
Shoulder-Mounted
Mainplanes are mounted at the upper section of the fuselage, generally at the imaginary line intersecting the pilot's shoulders.
Straight
The planform involves use of basic, straight mainplane members.
(Structural descriptors pertain to the base Vestel Karayel production variant)
Installed:
1 x Air-cooled, 4-stroke horizontally-opposed engine developing 97 horsepower driving a two-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Vestel Karayel production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
If armed, supported types include general precision-guided munitions such as missiles, bombs, rockets, and mortars. Also special-mission equipment pods as needed.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 4
Mounting Points
-
-
-
7
5
-
-
-
4
6
-
-
-
HARDPOINT(S) KEY:
X
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
1
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
COLOR KEY:
Fuselage Centerline
Fuselage Port/Wingroot
Fuselage Starboard/Wingroot
Wing/Underwing
Wingtip Mount(s)
Internal Bay(s)
Not Used
Note: Diagram above does not take into account inline hardpoints (mounting positions seated one-behind-the-other).
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
Images Gallery
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Image from official INTRAS Defense Technologies marketing materials.
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Saudi Arabia; Turkey
