Asisguard Songar

Lore & Background

The Songar was developed by Asisguard and consists of a quadrotor UAEV, a ground-control station, and ground-support equipment. It can operate in autonomous and manual-flight modes, featuring route-planning, autonomous flight, and autonomous return-to-base in critical battery or data-link disconnection situations. It simultaneously transmits telemetry data and images. The drone was introduced at the 2019 International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul. It has an operational range of about 10 km and is equipped with daylight and infrared cameras. The Songar is dust-resistant to IP Code 67 and has GPS/GLONASS navigation. Its dimensions are 65 cm × 62 cm × 75 cm during transport and 105 cm × 62 cm × 75 cm during flight, with a maximum takeoff weight of 45 kg when fully equipped and armed. It can operate at 400 m above ground level and up to 2,800 m above mean sea level. The system is described as low-cost, easy to use, light, and portable by personnel in multiple units. The first Songar was delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces in 2020 and integrated into a tactical 4x4 wheeled armored fighting vehicle. In November 2021, it was announced that Songar was being exported to two countries.

Reader's Guide

The Songar represents a significant step in low-cost, portable unmanned combat aerial vehicles, as it combines reconnaissance, target destruction, and post-operative damage assessment in a single quadrotor platform. Its built-in weapons, including an automatic machine gun firing up to 200 5.56×45mm NATO rounds and later a laser-guided mini-missile system, allow it to engage fixed targets such as unarmored and lightly armored vehicles, buildings, and small structures. The drone's ability to operate autonomously, return to base in critical situations, and transmit real-time images enhances its tactical utility. The integration of the Songar Togan version with an 81 mm mortar and the testing of mini-missiles in March 2022 show ongoing weapon system evolution. Its export to two countries by November 2021 indicates international interest. The system's lightweight, portable design and dust resistance make it suitable for field operations, while its integration onto a tactical vehicle demonstrates adaptability. The Songar's legacy is as a domestically developed UAEV that entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces and expanded into export markets, with continuous weapon integration.

Did You Know?

• It can fire up to 200 5.56×45mm NATO rounds in adjustable burst mode of 15 rounds.
• The Songar Togan version uses an 81 mm mortar with a CEP of 10 m and blast radius of 35 m.
• In March 2022, a Songar drone with a laser-guided mini-missile system was tested.