Operators are the part of the programme that cannot be air-freighted.
The unmanned systems developer we represent trains crews from simulator to live flight on the platforms they will operate, in-region. Baykar runs a structured operator programme on its own aircraft, and Simlat sells the simulation infrastructure that training centres are built on.
The pipeline runs on aircraft that are in service, taught by people who support those aircraft. Certification is the output, and it is sustained as platforms and doctrine change rather than delivered once at handover.
Side by side
| Attribute | Represented by UnstratDrone pilot training | BaykarPayload and UAV Operator User Trainings12Türkiye | SimlatUAS training systems (C-STAR, IMPACT, INTER, PANEL)3Israel |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is sold13 | Operator certification as a service, simulator to live | Operator training programme tied to Baykar UAV systems | Training systems and simulators sold to the customer's own training centre |
| Course structure13 | Simulator to live pathway on the platforms operators will fly on task | Gimbal hardware introduction, technical course, simulator application, drill videos, map use and image evaluation, fault prevention, training flights | Customer-defined; C-STAR covers full crew training and IMPACT provides a master instructor station with multiple trainee stations |
| Live flying included13 | Yes, live flight on our ISR, attack and counter-UAS platforms | Yes, operators complete the programme with test flights | No; Simlat supplies simulation, not live sorties |
| Where training happens13 | In-region, building sovereign operating capability | Not published on the training page | Customer site, or via Simlat Cloud accessed through a browser |
| Instructor tooling23 | Not published | Training simulators with prepared operational and emergency scenarios for pilots and payload operators | INTER instructor station connected to a real ground control station; PANEL automatically scores trainee performance |
| Platform coverage13 | Our ISR, attack and counter-UAS platforms | Baykar's own UAV and payload systems | Third-party systems including MAVLink and Mission Planner, Lockheed Martin VCSi, Insitu ScanEagle, Aeronautics Orbiter 2/3, Roboteam MTGR |
| Counter-UAS operator training3 | Included through the counter-UAS platform line | Not published | ASTRA counter-UAS simulator covering detection, identification, decision making and effector use |
| Currency between live-fly periods3 | Repeatable pipeline that keeps operators current as platforms and doctrine evolve | Not published | Simlat Cloud allows scheduled or free-flight sessions from a browser |
| Origin13 | Independent, non-aligned | Türkiye | Israel |
Competitor values are quoted from the vendor documents listed under Sources, as published on the date shown. Configurations vary, so treat every row as a starting point for the evaluation rather than a like-for-like test result.
What the table means
Baykar's programme is specific, and specificity is the right standard
Baykar publishes the modules: gimbal hardware, task terminology, simulator work, drill video, map use and image evaluation, fault prevention, then training flights ending in real mission experience. That is a defined syllabus and it should be the benchmark in any training tender. Our pipeline runs the same shape, simulator to live, with the difference that it is delivered in-region and covers ISR, strike and counter-UAS crews rather than one manufacturer's payload operators.
Buying systems is not the same as buying operators
Simlat sells the machinery of a training centre, including instructor stations, multi-trainee classrooms and automatic scoring. That is the right purchase if you intend to run your own school and staff it yourself. It is the wrong purchase if what you need is 30 certified crews by a fixed date. Be honest with yourself about which problem you are solving before the budget is written.
Instructors leave with the political weather
A training relationship lasts years and depends on people travelling. When training is delivered from a supplier state whose foreign policy can change, the pipeline stops with the visas. An in-region pipeline with a non-aligned supplier keeps the school open, and the aim is explicit in our case: operators who answer to your command, trained where they serve.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best alternative to Baykar's operator training for a government building its own drone crews?
Baykar's programme is well defined and ends in real flights, but it trains operators on Baykar aircraft. Our pipeline takes crews from simulator to live flight across ISR, attack and counter-UAS platforms and is delivered in-region so the capability stays where it is used. If your fleet is Baykar, use Baykar. If you are building a national cadre across mixed roles, an in-region pipeline tied to your own fleet is the better structure.
Should we buy training as a service or buy simulators and run our own school?
Buy simulators, from Simlat or a platform vendor, if you already have instructors and intend to staff a permanent school; Simlat's IMPACT classroom and PANEL scoring exist precisely for that. Buy training as a service if you need certified crews on a deadline and have no instructor cadre yet. Most countries need both in sequence: crews first, school second, with the supplier obliged to train your instructors as part of the contract.
How does drone pilot training compare between suppliers on cost of ownership?
The recurring cost is currency, not initial certification. Crews decay without regular flying, so ask each supplier what it costs to keep an operator current for five years, including simulator hours, refreshers and doctrine updates. Simlat addresses this with browser-delivered cloud sessions. We address it with a repeatable in-region pipeline that keeps operators current as platforms and doctrine change. Baykar does not publish a currency model.
Can training be delivered in our own country rather than at the manufacturer's site?
With us, yes: the pipeline is designed to run in-region and to build sovereign operating capability rather than to concentrate skills at a factory. Baykar does not publish the location of its operator programme, and Simlat's model is customer-site systems plus cloud access. Where training happens determines who owns the capability in five years, so put it in the contract.
Sources
- 1. Baykar, Payload and UAV Operator User TrainingsRetrieved: 2026-07-31
- 2. Baykar, Simulator SystemRetrieved: 2026-07-31
- 3. Simlat, Products (C-STAR, INTER, IMPACT, TALIS, PHOENIX-FPV, ASTRA, PANEL, COSMOS)Retrieved: 2026-07-31