TAI Pelikan, aka IHA-X2, is a radio-controlled reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition drone. Designed, developed and built by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a half scale model of the tactical drone TAI Baykuş air platform.It was produced as a training and bridge platform to the TAI Baykuş.[1]
Pelikan is the Turkish word for species pelican. TAI has some other UAV's named after birds.
The shoulder-winged UAV has all composite material airframe with metal twin tail booms. The drone is propelled by two 2-cylinder 2-stroke gasoline engines of type Zenoah G38 from Japan with 4 x 2.2hp power.[2] There exist two versions of TAI Pelikan related to propeller configuration, a pusher and a tractor aircraft. The drone carries a two-axis gimbaled EO/IR camera, which relays its video in real-time telemetry. Its guidance/tracking takes place fully autonomous based on INS/GPS integrated waypoint navigation system. Take off and landing of the drone is accomplished in conventional way on wheels.[1] [3]