TURKSAT and China Satcom: Turkey and China to co-develop communications for UAVs and “smart” border security

Turkey’s state satellite communications company TURKSAT and China’s China Satcom have signed a protocol on joint research and development, product development and commercialisation in space technologies. Among the goals are communications systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and “smart” border-security technologies, TRT World reported on Thursday, October 8.

Signed at IAC 2026 in Antalya

The protocol was signed at the TURKSAT stand at the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026), held at the NEST congress centre in Antalya. It was signed by TURKSAT’s Deputy General Manager for Satellite Services, Selman Demirel, and China Satcom CEO Ma Haiquan. The congress is organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and hosted by the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) and the defence-industry cluster SAHA Istanbul, under the coordination of Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and Technology.

From shared capacity to joint hardware

The two companies’ cooperation began last year with the sharing of satellite capacity and was widened by decisions taken at World Space Business Week in Paris. It now moves into hardware and software development, which TRT World describes as a “new phase” of joint research and production in space technologies between Turkey and China.

The agreement provides for UAV communication systems, satellite-based Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and “smart” border-security technologies. The aim is specialised devices for areas without terrestrial networks, able to transmit data in real time from remote locations beyond the reach of mobile-phone masts or fibre networks. It also covers hardware that would allow devices in sectors such as energy, agriculture and logistics to be managed by satellite.

The cooperation spans the whole process, from market analysis and first prototypes to testing, validation and commercialisation, with Turkish and Chinese engineers working together. A joint steering committee with equal representation from both companies will be set up and will review progress every three months. TURKSAT says it wants to become one of the leading technology suppliers in the global ecosystem.

Why it matters

Satellite links are critical to the operational use of Turkey’s long-range UAVs, which fly beyond line of sight of their ground stations. TURKSAT operates the Turkish communications-satellite fleet, including Türksat 6A, the first satellite of its kind built in Turkey. An agreement with a Chinese state company on technologies with military uses, such as UAV communications and border surveillance, comes as Ankara is at the same time signing a defence-cooperation roadmap with France (as TRT World also reports), which shows it moving in parallel towards both West and East.

Turkish UAVs also fly frequently over the Aegean, as with the Bayraktar TB2 that “drew” a message on flight trackers in September. Chinese satellite companies have also drawn Western attention, such as MizarVision, which publishes satellite images of US bases in the Middle East.