32 Countries, One Range: Turkey’s First Military FPV Contest in Ankara
An international military FPV (first-person-view) drone competition is under way in the Temelli area of Sincan, on the outskirts of Ankara — the first such event organised by Turkey’s Land Forces Command. Named the Best International Military Drone Team Competition (BIMDTC-2026), it has drawn participants from 32 countries.
Ministry of National Defence (MSB) spokesman Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk detailed the event at the ministry’s weekly press briefing on 22 October. Of the 32 participating countries, 18 are competing and 14 are attending as observers. Turkey itself is represented by five separate teams drawn from different branches and commands of its armed forces.
Under the contest rules, each country may field a team of up to three people, including at least two FPV pilots. All participants must be active-duty or reserve military personnel — a format that sets the event apart from civilian drone-racing competitions and is designed specifically to measure armed forces’ FPV capability.
Schedule and content
The competition runs from 19 to 25 October. Throughout that window, defence-industry exhibition areas remain open, giving participating delegations and observers the chance to examine FPV systems, counter-drone technology and related ground equipment up close.
Flight demonstrations are scheduled for 23 October. The finals take place on 24 October, designated “Distinguished Observer Day,” when senior military and civilian guests are expected to attend. Land Forces Command team captain First Lieutenant Furkan Selek has given statements on the event’s scope and the profile of participating teams.
Why it matters
FPV drones have become one of the fastest-spreading elements of the modern battlefield since the Russia-Ukraine war, with their combination of low cost and high-precision strike capability pushing many armed forces to rapidly build training and testing infrastructure around them. By hosting a 32-nation contest, Turkey creates a platform for sharing FPV doctrine and training standards with both NATO allies and partner countries.
That the Land Forces Command is running the event for the first time also signals Turkey’s institutional push into small unmanned systems. The format tests more than piloting skill: team coordination, target identification and fast decision-making under near-real battlefield scenarios are all part of the scoring.
The accompanying defence-industry exhibition gives Turkish FPV and counter-drone manufacturers direct access to military delegations from all 32 participating countries — making BIMDTC-2026 both a competition and an export showcase.
What’s next
Following the 23 October flight demonstrations, the 24 October finals are expected to be the most closely watched part of the event. MSB is expected to share an assessment of the results and of participating countries’ performance at upcoming weekly press briefings.
Sources
- Turkish Ministry of National Defence (MSB), Spokesman Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk — Weekly Press Briefing, 22 October 2026. (Primary source; official statement on the Land Forces Command’s BIMDTC-2026 competition.)
