Italian Navy conducts technical evaluation of the CAMCOPTER S-100 VTOL UAV

: Posted On Wednesday, 04 June 2014 09:51

Naval Forces News - Italy

Italian Navy conducts technical evaluation of the CAMCOPTER S-100 VTOL UAV

The Italian Navy (Marina Militare) announced it started a technical evaluation campaign of the CAMCOPTER S-100 VTOL UAV produced by the company Scheibel onboard the San Giusto (L89894), a San Giorgio class LPD.

Schiebel's CAMCOPTER onboard Italian Navy LPD San Giusto
Picutre: Italian navy

The CAMCOPTER which was leased to the Italian Navy by the Austrian company was designed to meet the needs of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) of vessels at sea for both military and civilian missions.

A complete CAMCOPTER system consists of two aircraft, a piloting unit, a control station and various antennas. The sensors aboard the aircraft are a turret-mounted electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) sensor which, in real time, extends the ship’s ability to see beyond the range limitations of its own sensors, both at sea and on the ground, and allowing them to perform their assigned duties.

The San Giusto LPD is the first Italian Navy vessel to employ the CAMCOPTER S-100 leased to the Armed Forces. It has embarked on a week-long evaluation cruise with technical staff seconded by Schiebel and two pilots from the Navy’s 4th Helicopter Group.

Trials at sea have so far evaluated the drone’s interoperability with the ship, its ability to take off and land from the ship’s deck; and the ability of the S-100’s sensors. The tests also measured the noise and the radar and optical visibility to determine detection parameters of detection.

The use of the VTOL UAV is an important historical moment for Italian naval aviation, which will more effectively meet the operational needs of its ships, broadening their effective horizons as well as offering greater safety, especially when needing to approach potential threats such as the pirate vessels operating on the seas along the trade routes.