Konya Technical University students develop unmanned ground vehicle for defense

A team of 11 students from Konya Technical University (KTÜN) has developed the “İKA F481,” an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed to support military operations. The vehicle won the “Best Design Award” at the Unmanned Ground Vehicles Competition held during TEKNOFEST in Mardin, where it achieved the best time in the history of the autonomous course.

The İKA F481 is engineered to reduce risks for soldiers in difficult terrain by performing reconnaissance, transporting ammunition, and conducting autonomous firing missions in confined spaces such as caves. Weighing 130 kilograms, the vehicle utilizes sensor fusion and real-time mapping technology to navigate obstacles autonomously.

The student engineering team, led by RACLAB ROVER captain Şahan Mirza Özdemir, aims to commercialize the technology and integrate the vehicle into the Turkish Armed Forces inventory.