“We are looking at a company that has followed this path for nearly 20 years, from very small and experimental drones to what you see here, which is cutting-edge technology, the best that is done in the world. We, in Portugal, will also follow this path on our scale, but it is by seeing good examples and best practices that we can also better identify our objectives for the future,” defended Nuno Melo, after visiting the facilities of the Turkish company Baykar Technology, in Istanbul, Turkey.
On a visit to the country to explore business opportunities and possible partnerships, Nuno Melo spent the morning at this Turkish company specialising in the development and production of unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones), used in operations abroad, such as in Ukraine, in addition to being involved in the aerospace sector and the production of satellites.
The official stressed that drones “are the present and the future,” at a time when Portugal is also betting on the production of this technology and is leading a project in this area within the SAFE program, a European loan program for Defence.
Melo emphasized the importance of Portugal ceasing to be just a customer and also becoming a producer and exporter in the world of Defence industries, highlighting the economic and social advantages that the development of companies in this sector brings to the country, such as job creation and the retention of citizens in the interior (in Beja, Portugal will produce Super Tucano aircraft, for example).
The official made a point of emphasising that it is a “totally private” company with an average age of around 29, highlighting that it is an example of the type of investment that “helps to attract qualified and well-paid jobs.”
Asked if he was looking for equipment for the future Portuguese drone carrier D. João II, which is being produced in Romania, Nuno Melo stated that the objective of the visit was not to close “specific acquisitions,” but to “exchange experiences.” Melo highlighted the dual use of this type of unmanned vehicle, noting that, in addition to military use, drones can be useful for search and rescue operations, surveillance, or equipment transportation.