Police units in Erzurum established a fleet in 2020 that includes UAVs and SİHAs. Police pilots monitor high-resolution images in the control center, observing their responsibility areas 24/7 to search for terrorists and criminals.
The Bayraktar TB2 UAVs and SİHAs have been providing services in all 81 provinces of Turkey in areas ranging from counter-terrorism and anti-drug operations to forest fires and search and rescue missions in Erzurum. Since their deployment in the city, they have conducted approximately 10,500 hours of flight.
With the support of UAVs and SİHAs conducting an average of 250-300 hours of flight per month, 44 terrorists have been neutralized and 11 members of terrorist organizations have been captured in operations carried out to date.
UAVs and SİHAs have also identified numerous hideouts, shelters, and explosives belonging to terrorists, actively used in exposing the rural activities of separatist terrorist organizations.
The Provincial Police Chief Kadir Yırtar stated that the pilots watch high-resolution images in the control center to monitor the responsibility areas day and night in search of terrorists and criminals. He emphasized the crucial role of the Aviation Branch as a supporting element in various operations including counter-terrorism, narcotics, and all types of tasks 24/7.
Yırtar pointed out that since the establishment of the branch, approximately 10,500 hours of flight have been carried out with dedication. The UAVs and SİHAs have been instrumental in tracking the rural activities of separatist terrorist organizations and, when necessary, conducting counter-terrorism operations. A total of 44 terrorists have been neutralized, 11 have been captured, and numerous hideouts and explosive materials have been identified thanks to UAVs.
Yırtar highlighted that the team in the branch continuously observes a 25,000 square kilometer area and that UAVs and SİHAs taking off from Erzurum could also provide support for cross-border operations when necessary. He also mentioned cases where UAVs contributed to operations such as apprehending about 383 kilograms of drugs in Van, dealing a blow to terrorist organizations, and identifying and capturing 2 individuals engaging in theft in the rubble after an earthquake in Gaziantep’s İslahiye district.
Furthermore, Yırtar explained that UAVs provide observational support in forest fires and that the relevant company and police technicians conduct routine maintenance of unmanned aerial vehicles during off-flight periods.
