ANKARA — Pakistan finished as runner-up in inaugural Best International Military Drone Team Competition 2026 (BIMDTC), held in the Turkish capital.
Türkiye claimed the championship, while Pakistan secured second place, pushing Italy into third position and France into fourth. The competition, held on Saturday, brought together military drone operators from 33 nations, making Pakistan’s podium finish a notable demonstration of its expertise in modern unmanned aerial technology.
Congratulations to the Turkish team for securing 1st place and Pakistan for achieving 2nd place at the Best International Military Drone Team Competition 2026 (BIMDTC-2026) in Ankara, bringing together competitors from 33 different countries. Congratulations also to Italy for securing 3rd place and France for finishing 4th.
The outstanding performances of the Turkish and Pakistani teams stand as yet another testament to their skill, precision and growing expertise in the field of unmanned aerial systems.
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ذترکیہ میں منعقدہ بہترین بین الاقوامی عسکری ڈرون ٹیم مقابلہ جس میں 33 ممالک نے حصہ لیا میں ترکیہ کو پہلی اور پاکستان کو دوسری پوزیشن حاصل کرنے پر مبارک باد۔ اٹلی کو تیسری اور فرانس کو چوتھی پوزیشن حاصل کرنے پر بھی مبارک۔
ترکش اور پاکستانی ٹیموں کی شاندار کارکردگی بغیر انسانی فضائی نظاموں میں انکی مہارت, درستگی اور بڑھتے تجربے کا ایک اور ثبوت ہے۔
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Ankara’da, 33 farklı ülkeden katılımcıların bir araya geldiği Uluslararası En İyi Askeri Uçangöz Takımı Yarışması (BIMDTC-2026) birinciliği elde eden takımımızı ve ikinciliği kazanan Pakistan’ı tebrik ediyoruz. Üçüncülüğü elde eden İtalya’yı ve yarışmayı dördüncü sırada tamamlayan Fransa’yı da kutluyoruz.
Türk ve Pakistanlı takımların sergilediği üstün performans, insansız hava sistemleri alanındaki becerilerini, operasyonel yetkinliklerini ve giderek artan deneyimlerini bir kez daha ortaya koymuştur.
— Türkiye in Pakistan (@TC_IslamabadBE) October 25, 2026
Turkish Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the results and congratulated the winning teams, acknowledging the technical skills and operational precision displayed during the international event.
The competition focused on the ability of trained military personnel to operate drones with speed, accuracy and control under demanding conditions. The participating countries were allowed to send teams consisting of no more than three members. Each team had to include at least two qualified First-Person View (FPV) drone pilots, who were required to be either active-duty military personnel or reservists.
FPV technology allows operators to fly drones using a real-time camera feed, giving them a pilot’s-eye view of the aircraft’s surroundings. This capability has become increasingly important in modern military operations.
During the competition, participants were required to navigate their drones along a designated route while attempting to complete the course in the shortest possible time. Teams recording the fastest performances advanced to the final stage, where their ability to maintain control, navigate accurately and complete the challenge under pressure determined their standings.
Pakistan’s performance proved strong enough to secure second place overall, ahead of several technologically advanced countries.
Pakistan’s success comes as the country continues expanding its domestic drone development programmes while maintaining defence technology partnerships with allies, particularly Türkiye.
The South Asian nation used combination of Turkish-made and locally developed unmanned aerial vehicles during its brief military confrontation with India in May 2025. The reported systems included the Turkish YIHA-III and ASISGUARD SONGAR drones, along with Pakistan’s indigenous Shahpar-II unmanned aerial vehicle.
Shahpar-II was developed by Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS), a Pakistani state-owned defence organisation involved in developing military equipment and advanced technologies. These systems reflect Pakistan’s broader ambition to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing, reduce dependence on imported military equipment and expand its capabilities in unmanned warfare.
The achievement in Ankara also comes against the backdrop of longstanding defence cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye. Both countries maintain close military relations encompassing training, defence equipment, technological cooperation and broader strategic engagement.
Their partnership has received renewed attention amid efforts to deepen security coordination with Saudi Arabia. In August, Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia were reported to have signed a trilateral defence agreement in Makkah, featuring a collective-defence commitment under which an attack on one participating country would be treated as an attack on all three.
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