The ANKA III unmanned aerial vehicle, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), has successfully passed another critical phase in its testing program by completing its autopilot verification trials. According to the announcement made through TUSAŞ’s official social media channels, ANKA III conducted its 46th sortie as part of ongoing system verification and identification flights, during which all autopilot scenarios were executed flawlessly.

Featuring a low-observable design, advanced avionics, and next-generation flight control architecture, ANKA III continues to showcase Türkiye’s growing engineering capabilities in the aerospace domain. The successful autopilot testing is considered a major step toward deploying the platform in demanding missions that require high precision, autonomous decision-making, and long-endurance operations.

ANKA III has also proven its operational flexibility through a series of successful weapon-integration tests throughout the year. Earlier in 2025, the UAV carried out a successful internal-bay launch of ASELSAN’s TOLUN munition. Later, it achieved a direct hit using the LGK-82 guided munition, demonstrating its strike accuracy. In another major test, ANKA III launched the jet-powered target drone Süper Şimşek from its wing station, completing the mission without any complications.

Representing a significant technological leap in Türkiye’s unmanned aviation roadmap, ANKA III’s completed autopilot tests bring the system closer to operational deployment and future serial production. The program continues to advance rapidly, supported by TUSAŞ’s extensive engineering capabilities and the country's growing defense-industry ecosystem.