TEKNOFEST Board of Directors and Turkey Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation) Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Selçuk Bayraktar, reminded that Baykar made one-third of the defense industry exports last year and said, “This happened with high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles. Thanks to this, we also brought Bayraktar Akıncı “We developed both Bayraktar TB3 and KIZILELMA with our own resources, without needing any resources.” he said.
Stating that Baykar has a space initiative in addition to unmanned aerial vehicles, Bayraktar said, “Currently, around 80 engineers are working. We are building a global positioning system with that resource. Imagine, with the resources coming from this high technology export, a technology that goes beyond the atmosphere in a sense and is the only technology in the world.” “There is another company working in a similar field, and it is not further ahead than us. We are building our own global positioning system without taking a penny from anyone.” made his assessment.
Bayraktar stated that the localization rate in the UCAVs produced by Baykar is above 93 percent and that all added value is produced in Turkey. Bayraktar said, “We are talking about a flying robot that is completely uniquely designed, high-tech, consists of millions of lines of software, hardware, and aero-dynamics. Everything, down to the sensors inside, is made in Turkey. In fact, it is twice as good as the best in the world in electro-optics.” “Technology that allows him to see better, more electro-optically.” he said.
Bayraktar pointed out that the defense expenditures in Turkey’s budget have gradually decreased in the last 20 years and said, “Over the years, when purchasing from abroad, a technology that did not fully meet the needs and was dependent on outside was used. These technologies were purchased at 5-10 times more prices. National technology was also used.” “In a sense, its development was hindered. We see that the resources allocated to education have decreased. But imagine that the turnover and export turnover of the sector has increased tens of times. Therefore, we see something interesting here. The most valuable element here is people.” he said.
TEKNOFEST AIMS TO TRAIN PEOPLE
Noting that TEKNOFEST is also an education platform and aims to provide people with the highest equipment at the earliest age, Bayraktar said, “Therefore, this approach needs to continue in the same way in terms of national education and university and beyond studies. Investing in people and their education is actually the most educated people.” people are driving all this value.” he said.
Emphasizing that Baykar exports ideas to the world, Bayraktar said that the value of sales abroad comes from “ideas”.
“ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS AN IMPRESSIVE TECHNOLOGY”
Bayraktar gave information about artificial intelligence and Turkey’s efforts to develop the big language model. Stating that he is also a robotics expert and that they build robot planes, Bayraktar reminded that the founder of the field of robotics is Cezeri, a name from this civilization.
Bayraktar pointed out that there has been a breakthrough in computer technologies recently and said, “Computer technology does things that can almost fascinate people, like illusions, magic, whenever you come across something so sophisticated. Never forget this, it is like a clock made of rotating wheels, but There are so many gears in it. Maybe there will be software that can imitate me exactly, software that will predict my emotions, everything, even what I might say.” he said.
Explaining that jobs that require greater intellectual capacity in terms of artificial intelligence and large language models are much more complex, Bayraktar said that there has been a revolution in these recently. Bayraktar made the following evaluations:
“This is a truly impressive technology. On the one hand, it is something that was discovered randomly, but frankly, it is a technology that will change and transform the world a lot. I compare it to humanity rediscovering the pen. Why am I making this analogy because before the invention of the pen, we used to pass on information from word of mouth. Now we We have gained the ability to transfer information in a systematic way. We also use artificial intelligence intensively. We use it to fly planes much more safely. Besides, we use it to create a smarter route autonomy. “For example, the plane’s engine broke down. The computer does this on its own to turn around and land on the runway. But we do not use it for weapon engagement. We use it to recognize a meteorological obstacle and take action accordingly.”
Noting that the new generation of autonomy will come closer to the natural language of humans with these language models, Bayraktar said about Turkey’s position in the transformation brought by artificial intelligence: “Turkey should not fall behind in this transformation. Because those who have this transformation tool will build a separate world.” made his assessment.
To the question “Has Turkey caught the wind of artificial intelligence?”, Bayraktar said, “The TEKNOFEST generation is our greatest hope. Turkey is in a good place, but there may be a gap here. It constitutes a great power, it is true. I always discuss the discussions with ‘How can we have infinite power or near infinite power with this technology? “I see that it revolves around ‘we will gain power and dominate the world’.” he replied.
“OUR MAIN MOTIVATION IS THE COMPLETE INDEPENDENT, STRONG AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY”
Providing information about Baykar’s investments in different fields, Bayraktar said, “We invest in strategic areas that will make our country independent, strong and prosperous, mostly in areas that no one can enter, do or build. If an area already exists to meet the needs of our country, we do not enter into it at all.” “We did the same when we made our choices in space. Our country has space-related studies. They have communication satellites, which are much more complex than the satellites we make.” he said.
Bayraktar stated that this method was followed in the construction of the global positioning system (GPS) and said that no one was working in this field. Bayraktar stated that they determined that it would also be used in the civilian field and that there would be a great need in the world, and emphasized that similarly precise positioning systems were chosen because it was an application that would make Turkey independent.
Bayraktar pointed out that the orbital transfer vehicle is a new concept and that there are almost no manufacturers in the world, and emphasized that these vehicles are, in a sense, minibuses in space and allow transportation from one orbit to another.
Bayraktar continued his words as follows:
“Similarly, if there was a launch vehicle in Turkey to go into space, we would of course use it, but we don’t have it now. We have the resources and capacity to build it. Baykar is a family of 5 thousand people. We have the resources, we can do this. None of these investments are almost irreversible. . Investments that can only become feasible in 15-20 years, but without which you will be in great trouble.”
Saying that the internet and space are almost as important as water and electricity infrastructure for Turkey, Bayraktar said, “We need to have a presence in the seas to protect our land. We need to have a presence in the skies to protect both of them. Here you see our works in the skies. To protect all three, you have to have a presence in space.” Therefore, our main motivation is, in a sense, the fully independent, strong and prosperous future of our country and all our friendly and brotherly geographies.” he said.
TEKNOFEST MESSAGE FROM BAYRAKTAR TO YOUTH
Bayraktar shared the following message for young people watching TEKNOFEST in front of their screens:
“Although the world is being thrown into great darkness with crises, in a sense, the hope of the whole world, our civilization and our nation are my young brothers who will shape the future of the world with their high technology works. While they do these, they are armed with the values of justice, goodness, mercy and freedom of our civilization.” They will somehow build this world. This year, 1.6 million young people applied to our competitions. Again, we came together with hundreds of thousands, even more than million visitors, to celebrate the world that will be built by the champions of technology. I repeat, I invite you, my young brothers, to build a world that humanity needs after this great destruction, with a technology surrounded by justice, kindness and mercy for the benefit of humanity and our civilization. “I am waiting for all our young people to TEKNOFEST Akdeniz, Adana and Şakirpaşa, where the heart of TEKNOFEST beats.”
