Latest news with #TB2
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Lepro TB2 Smart LED Table Light Review
The Lepro TB2 Smart LED Table Light is an AI-powered, app-controlled smart light designed to add a beautiful accent to your room. Equipped with RGB+IC LEDs, a host of customizable features and voice control, the TB2 offers a unique and visually striking customizable lamp for your office desk or studio setting. Part of Lepro's AI Smart LED Table Lamp collection, the TB2 is a fun addition—or a perfect starting point—for your lighting setup. Inspired by the treble clef, the TB2 delivers a fresh take on the traditional table lamp. With 152 RGB+IC LEDs built in, users have the freedom to manage and address each light segment individually. This level of control is made possible by individual control chips installed in each LED, which communicate directly with the Lepro app—available for both Apple and Android devices. As for the light's brightness, while I couldn't find a lumin count on the official website, the lamp is ideal as an accent piece in the room. While I wouldn't read a book beside it and expect a superior lighting experience, the colours from the LEDS are vibrant and beautiful. It serves best as a supplementary lighting element as part of a larger lighting setup. Assembling the TB2 is a simple affair and comes in two pieces: a base plate that also acts as part of the light strip and the light strip proper. After removing each piece from the box, simply slotting the top piece into the base via a connection port completes the assembly. Once constructed, the TB2 stands 15.7' high with a width of 7.4' at its widest point. The included power adaptor plugs into the base of the unit and provides almost 6' of cable to allow for ideal positioning. My one small critique of the design is the power port location on the TB2. While I can understand the inherent challenges of port placement on a lamp that is fashioned after a Treble Clef, the port is located on what is essentially the front of the unit. This means that at all times, the power cable is visible while on display. Not a major issue, but it does feel a bit out of place with the rest of the design. Despite this small critique, I'm impressed with the overall build quality and design of the TB2. It feels sturdy to handle, and the light strip is much more rigid and durable than I initially assumed it would be. Having worked with several smart lights over the years, I expected Lepro to opt for a silicone shroud, which is typically soft. Instead, Lepro has constructed the housing out of aluminum and the shroud out of PVC, resulting in a much more robust and sturdy construction. Once the unit is assembled, connecting the TB2 to the Lepro app is exceptionally easy. When the light is turned on, it will automatically switch to pairing mode, indicated by a slow blue flash. Upon opening the Lepro app on your device, the TB2 will automatically appear as a device that can be added. The setup process takes less than a minute, and once complete, gives you full control of the light. With the TB2 set up on your network and paired to your phone, you're greeted with a host of fun, customizable features to explore. The most unique—and one I'm starting to see more often with smart lighting—is the AI Lighting Assistant, which includes two modes. In the first mode, you can describe a scene or emotion, and the AI Lighting Assistant will generate several lighting patterns to choose from based on your description. The second mode allows you to upload or take a selfie, which the AI uses to create suggestion prompts. While both feel a bit basic in their lighting suggestions, the concept is interesting and one that will no doubt evolve further. The TB2 also comes with a DIY mode that allows you to address clusters of the LEDs along the strip to create custom designs. Simply select the colour and effect you want—six effects in total—and click the clusters you'd like to apply it to. It's a fairly straightforward process and works well. One small note: while all 152 LEDs are addressable, they are grouped into clusters when using DIY mode. Addressing all 152 LEDs individually would be a nightmare, honestly. It's also worth noting that the TB2 is dimmable, allowing you to set the exact light level you prefer, no matter the setting. Music sync is also available through the Lepro app. It includes several preset lighting effects, along with the option to sync audio via the TB2's built-in microphone or your phone's internal mic. Both worked well in testing, and when paired with sensitivity and brightness sliders, they provide a decently customizable experience. Two other features I appreciated during testing were the smart home integration and the wake-up and sleep functionality. The former allows for easy setup within your existing Alexa or Google Home ecosystem. Connecting to Google Home took less than a minute via the Home app. As this is the second Lepro light I've reviewed this year, it was automatically recognized in Google Home once paired with the Lepro app. Full voice and remote control are available with the TB2, making it ideal for the geek in the room who likes to say, 'Hey Google, turn on the Batcave'—hypothetically speaking, of course. The wake-up and sleep function works exactly as you would expect. At a preset time, the light will power up or down gradually over a preselected amount of time. I've found it ideal for early morning wake-up, as I typically like to be up before the sun anyway. This feature simply allows for a gentle wake-up while the coffee is still brewing. The Lepro TB2 Smart LED Table Lamp is a solid piece of tech that is priced fairly at $69.99. It offers all of the features and specs I would expect from a Smart Lamp in a unique and beautiful form factor. It's also much more durable than I would have expected. Overall, I'm impressed with Lepro's TB2 Smart LED Table Lamp and would recommend it as an accent piece in your office or studio.
Forbes
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Turkey's Best Drones Are Being Shot Down Over Middle East And Africa
A Turkish Bayraktar Akinci drone landing at Gecitkale Air Base in Lefkoniko, Turkish Republic of ... More Northern Cyprus, on July 17, 2024. (Photo by Baykar/Anadolu via Getty Images) March 2025 is undoubtedly the worst month to date for Turkey's indigenous Bayraktar Akinci drone, with at least two going down in Africa and the Middle East within a mere two weeks under different circumstances. Overnight, on March 31 and April 1, a drone fell out of the sky over the rural Tinzaouaten commune in northeast Mali, an area where the Malian military is fighting armed groups on the country's border with Algeria. Fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front rushed to the crash site and photographed the wreckage extensively. Algeria claimed it shot down an 'armed surveillance drone' that had violated its airspace near Tinzaouaten. Mali merely confirmed that one of its drones crashed in the area while on a surveillance mission, adding that it was investigating the incident. Regardless of whether it was shot down or crashed due to a malfunction, the incident is embarrassing for Bamako, given that it has received only two Akinci drones from Turkey delivered in 2024. It also may raise concerns in Ankara since it came a mere two weeks after an Akinci drone in Turkish service crashed in Iraqi Kurdistan on March 16. Turkey's arch enemy, the armed Kurdish PKK group, released a video showing its forces targeting and bringing down that drone. Over the past year, reports indicate that the PKK may have acquired Iranian-made loitering missiles, explosive drones with optical sensors and infrared proximity fuses that loiter around a designated area searching for enemy drones. Whatever the PKK is using, it has proven capable of downing an increasing number of Turkish-made drones over the past year. The same goes for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in neighboring Syria. Since late 2024, several incidents indicate that the SDF has acquired or developed anti-drone capabilities. The group has brought down Turkish Bayraktar TB2, Aksungur, and Anka drones. It even accidentally shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone that it misidentified as a threat. Those Turkish drones downed over northeast Syria are all medium-altitude, long-endurance, or MALE, combat drones. The TB2, in particular, is a cost-effective drone that can endure significant attrition over the battlefield. On the other hand, the Akinci is a high-altitude, long-endurance, or HALE, drone that has much more advanced sensors, a much heavier payload, and can carry more extensive and advanced munitions and weaponry, including air-launched ballistic missiles. It can also fire air-to-air missiles. Drones like the TB2 are more comparable with the American MQ-1 Predator. The Akinci is more in league with the MQ-9 Reaper, given its larger size, more sophisticated weaponry, and superior sensors and surveillance capabilities. It, therefore, outclasses its predecessors as both a combat and surveillance drone. Its latter capabilities were dramatically demonstrated when a single Akinci entered Iranian airspace on the night of May 19, 2024, searching for the crashed helicopter of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The drone used its thermal technology and other powerful sensors to scan the mountainous terrain where the helicopter went down amid pitch darkness and adverse weather conditions. Ankara boasted that the Akinci's mission provided critical information on the whereabouts of the helicopter and its deceased passengers. It was also a perfect opportunity to showcase the drone's capabilities and potentially attract sales. While its higher price tag might not win the Akinci as many export deals as the TB2, the most widely exported drone type worldwide, Ankara has already signed export agreements with at least 11 countries for the more advanced drone. These recent losses over Iraq Kurdistan and Mali may be bad news from a sales perspective. If the Algerian Air Force shot down Mali's Akinci rather than a separatist group, which seems most likely, that would prove less damaging to the drone's overall reputation. After all, most drones would stand little to no chance up against high-performance fighter jets armed with beyond-visual range air-to-air missiles, or advanced surface-to- air missiles. For example, Iran shot down an American RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone capable of operating at altitudes of 65,000 feet with its 3rd Khordad medium-range air defense system over the Strait of Hormuz in June 2019. Of course, non-state actors do not possess such systems. While the Akinci is also a HALE drone with a purported maximum altitude of 45,118 feet, the two that went down over Mali and Iraqi Kurdistan probably flew at much lower altitudes, thus making them more vulnerable to loitering or possibly even shoulder-fired missiles. The Houthis in Yemen have successfully used Iranian-made loitering missiles against American Reapers, bringing down a significant number in recent months. African countries acquiring the Akinci are doing so for use against militias but buying them in far fewer numbers than they would, or even could, the TB2. Therefore, losses are immediately more significant and costly when they do happen. For example, the downing of Mali's Akinci immediately constituted the loss of 50 percent of Bamako's tiny fleet. Turkey also delivered two Akinci drones to Somalia in March to support Mogadishu's fight against the notorious Al-Shabaab group. If either of these is shot down, especially by those militants, that could bode ill for future sales in ways that combat losses of the cheaper and more ubiquitous TB2, the 500th unit of which rolled off its assembly line in June 2023, have not. Algeria's western neighbor and primary rival, Morocco, also received its first batch of Akinci drones in February 2025. Morocco already purchased the TB2 back in 2021 and has used armed drones in its conflict against the Polisario Front group in Western Sahara. Rabat doubtlessly looked at the downing of the Malian Akinci with particular interest. It may even deter it from operating its Akincis too close to the Algerian border for fear of losing any of those more expensive system. Turkish drone losses in the Middle East in recent months were not insignificant, especially considering the losses spanned at least four indigenous drone types. However, the loss of two Akincis in two weeks is arguably more significant since it is the most advanced drone Ankara has put into active service and sold abroad to date. Time will ultimately tell if such losses—especially if there are more to follow soon—will have a noticeable impact on future sales.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Italy's Leonardo and Turkey's Baykar team up on combat drones
Italian defence company Leonardo and Turkey's drone specialist Baykar have agreed to cooperate on the development of combat drones in Italy, the companies announced on Thursday. After several months of negotiations, the two companies signed an agreement to establish a joint venture for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to supply the market in Europe. Leonardo's chief executive Roberto Cingolani estimated the European market for unmanned fighters, armed surveillance drones and deep strike drones to reach $100 billion over the next decade. Leonardo is also involved in the development of the European drone Eurodrone alongside Airbus and Dassault. The Turkish Baykar group is already one of the largest drone manufacturers worldwide. The group's chief executive Selçuk Bayraktar is a son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Baykar aims to benefit from Leonardo's expertise in mission systems, payloads and certification, the company said, while expanding their worldwide presence. Last year, Baykar started building a factory near Kiev to produce either its TB2 or TB3 drone models. Ukrainian forces actively used the TB2s against the Russian invasion. Meanwhile, Leonardo has already established a joint venture with Germany's largest arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, to produce tanks specialist bridge-laying vehicles.
Middle East Eye
31-01-2025
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Turkish defence company's Morocco drone investment isn't what it seems
Turkey's leading drone manufacturer Baykar has established a subsidiary in Morocco to set up a maintenance facility for the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) it sold to Rabat, Middle East Eye understands. Atlas Defence, the subsidiary, was officially registered with the Moroccan Trade Registry on 5 December 2024. According to a notice in the Moroccan Official Gazette published on 29 January, the Rabat-based company has a paid-up capital of 2.5 million dirhams ($680,000). The notice states that the company will operate in the fields of drone design, production and manufacturing. Despite widespread reports and claims that Baykar would establish full-blown factories to produce drones in Morocco, the subsidiary's relatively low capital suggests it is unlikely to run a production line there. A source familiar with the matter told MEE that Baykar was required to set up this subsidiary in order to provide maintenance and spare parts services for the drones it sold in 2021, as Moroccan regulations mandate that foreign companies must establish local entities to operate in the country. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In September 2021, Morocco took delivery of the first batch of 13 armed drones it purchased from Baykar in a deal reportedly worth $70 million. The source further explained that Baykar's strategic investments in foreign markets, including the establishment of factories and assembly lines, have been transparent. The company is currently constructing a factory in Ukraine and has multiple facilities across the region, including a reported assembly line in Saudi Arabia. However, Turkish defence experts do not view Morocco as a strategic market that would significantly boost Baykar's production and sales figures. Baykar, owned by Selcuk Bayraktar, the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has emerged as a global leader in drone technology. Turkey and its drones in Africa - a switch to hard power? Read More » The company's success has been driven by the popularity of its Bayraktar TB2 drones, which demonstrated their effectiveness in conflicts such as those in Libya, Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Morocco reportedly acquired the TB2 systems to bolster its capabilities against the Polisario Front, which advocates for the independence of Western Sahara - a disputed territory claimed by Rabat. The 2021 drone sale angered neighbouring Algeria, a supporter of the Polisario Front. Ankara capitalised on the tensions by selling Anka drones, produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), to Algeria in 2022. Additionally, Morocco was reportedly preparing to integrate Turkish Bayraktar Akinci combat drones into its arsenal in 2024, according to an article by local outlet Le Desk in November. The Akinci drone is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the TB2, offering advanced features and a higher payload capacity.
