Turkish authorities are investigating after a suspected Russian Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone was discovered in a rural area of Kocaeli’s İzmit district. The drone was found inactive in a field and secured by gendarmerie units for forensic and technical analysis.
This marks the second recent drone incident in northern Türkiye, following an unidentified UAV shot down by Turkish F-16s earlier this week. Officials are examining whether the Orlan-10 was downed, malfunctioned, or veered off course, with investigations coordinated across Türkiye’s defense and intelligence agencies, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The Orlan-10 is a medium-range military UAV used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and electronic warfare, capable of up to 16 hours of flight. Authorities stress there is no ongoing civilian threat but emphasize the seriousness of unauthorized aerial activity.