Italian-Turkish drone venture to debut joint production in April

Leonardo S.p.A. expects to roll out its first jointly produced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with Turkish defence firm Baykar as early as April, according to CEO Roberto Cingolani.

Speaking after presenting the company’s 2026 industrial plan to investors in mid-March, Cingolani said the partnership is advancing as planned, with initial production set to begin at a facility in Ronchi dei Legionari, as Turkish media reports.

“The joint venture with Baykar is progressing according to the roadmap we established,” he said. “First, medium-sized drones capable of carrying payloads of several hundred kilograms will be produced. We expect the first production to take place in April at the facility in Ronchi dei Legionari.”

He noted that manufacturing will expand beyond a single site, with additional production hubs being prepared in Liguria and southern Italy.

“We are also preparing additional production areas in Liguria and in southern Italy,” he said. “Other types of vehicles will also be produced there.”

Cingolani highlighted growing demand for European-made drones, emphasizing that certification within Italy would allow the aircraft to operate across the continent.

“All of these will be certified in Italy, meaning they will also hold certification for Europe,” he said. “At the moment, there is a very large market waiting for European drones to be produced.”

When asked whether Türkiye could join the EU’s joint defence financing initiative Security Action for Europe (SAFE), Cingolani said the matter was political rather than industrial.

Describing the collaboration as “highly complementary,” he explained that Baykar is responsible for the aerial platform, while Leonardo contributes advanced systems.

“They build the flying platform, while we develop all the intelligence systems and sensor technology,” he said. “Everything required to make it effective is certified in Italy. For us, that is sufficient. Whether it becomes part of the SAFE mechanism is not our concern.”

Cingolani also suggested that the jointly developed UAVs could eventually be integrated into Leonardo’s AI-driven air defence system, the Michelangelo Dome, which was unveiled in November 2025 and is expected to undergo testing in Ukraine later this year.

Turkish defence firm Baykar and Italian aerospace company Leonardo formalised an agreement back in 2025 to establish a joint venture focused on next-generation unmanned aerial systems.

By Nazrin Sadigova