Turkey, the world’s top drone exporter, is now confronting a new test as its massive drone industry looks to adapt to the emerging era of low-cost mini drone warfare.

As one of the global leaders in drone manufacturing, Ankara finds itself at a crossroads following Ukraine’s recent “Operation Spiderweb” attack on Russia as it considers both how to use mini drone swarms against adversaries and how to defend against them. Though Turkey has proven global success using tactical and high-endurance drones, questions remain about how the country can effectively develop and defend against mini drone swarms in areas where Turkish troops are deployed. 

Turkey is now the world’s top seller of drones, according to the Center for a New American Security, a think tank in Washington, mainly due to the output from two major companies — Baykar and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS). 

Baykar makes the well-known TB2 and Akinci drones, while TUSAS produces the Anka series. These drones can fly at medium to high altitudes and stay in the air for long periods of time. Meanwhile, some smaller Turkish companies are also making simpler drones like the ones Ukraine used in its recent operation against Russia.