Türkiye’s SolidAERO Reveals Talay as World’s First Low-Altitude Drone for Coastal Strike Missions.

On July 8th, 2025, Turkish defense firm SolidAERO made headlines by releasing exclusive test footage of its TALAY maritime kamikaze UAV using wing-in-ground effect to skim the sea at sub-meter altitudes. This daring concept, reported by Solid Aero and Anadolu Agency, positions TALAY as the world’s first low-altitude, multi-role unmanned aerial vehicle designed specifically for maritime and coastal strike operations. The footage, captured by Anadolu Agency, highlights a major evolution in how drones can evade radar detection, prompting fresh interest among naval strategists ahead of its official showcase at IDEF 2025 in Istanbul. This development could reshape the maritime unmanned strike domain at a time when sea control tactics are under intense scrutiny.
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TALAY’s emergence highlights how SolidAERO and its partners are pushing the boundaries of maritime UAV warfare by integrating wing-in-ground effect with kamikaze drone tactics (Picture source: SolidAERO)

Developed by SolidAERO in collaboration with Yonca Shipyard, the TALAY UAV stands apart by harnessing the wing-in-ground effect, a principle where a surface, like the sea, creates a cushion of air that boosts lift efficiency. With a cruising altitude between 0.3 and 150 meters, TALAY can carry up to 30 kg of payload, maintain a speed of 200 km/h, and stay airborne for three hours while communicating over distances of 300 km, likely via BLOS relay links. Its compact, foldable wing structure and composite fuselage further support rapid deployment from diverse coastal platforms, making it ideal for missions ranging from surveillance to precision kamikaze strikes on enemy vessels.

The TALAY concept emerged from SolidAERO’s earlier prototype showcased at SAHA Expo and has since matured through intensive sea-skimming trials. Initial tests validated its ability to maintain sub-meter altitude flight, then pop up for terminal attack phases. As tests advanced, engineers refined the wing profile, aerodynamic surfaces, and integrated AI-assisted flight control, raising free-flight altitude limits to 100 meters while boosting lift efficiency by up to 40%. This evolution has paved the way for TALAY’s transition to serial production, with the first operational units set for delivery by early 2027, once final integration with Yonca Shipyard’s production line is complete.

Unlike conventional kamikaze UAVs that rely on standard low-level ingress, TALAY’s extreme sea-skimming capability means it operates below most naval radar horizons, a distinct advantage for neutralizing small to medium-sized ships or disrupting port infrastructure. Compared to earlier surface drones or traditional unmanned strike systems, TALAY’s wing-in-ground approach marries speed, stealth, and maneuverability in sea state 3 conditions, domains where typical UAVs or naval loitering munitions struggle. Historically, comparable concepts like Soviet ekranoplans explored wing-in-ground effect for transport, but never at this scale for unmanned, expendable strike missions.

Strategically, the introduction of TALAY expands Türkiye’s maritime asymmetry toolkit by offering a radar-evading, flexible kamikaze platform for littoral defense, blockade circumvention, or anti-access operations. This capability could alter naval force postures in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea, raising challenges for large surface combatants and port facilities that must now account for low-profile, fast-moving aerial threats. While SolidAERO has not disclosed full unit cost details, the relatively lightweight design, modular payloads, and domestic supply chain suggest a cost-effective alternative to larger UAVs or sea-based missiles. No foreign export contracts have yet been confirmed, but Turkish naval forces are expected to field the first batch, with serial production beginning in October 2026 following final qualification.

TALAY’s emergence highlights how SolidAERO and its partners are pushing the boundaries of maritime UAV warfare by integrating wing-in-ground effect with kamikaze drone tactics. For coastal states seeking to defend littoral waters with unconventional, hard-to-detect systems, TALAY could mark a turning point, adding another layer of complexity to the evolving maritime security landscape.