At Euronaval 2018, Austrian Company Schiebel showcases its Camcopter S-100, an automatic Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) unmanned helicopter that can be used by land and naval forces. Recently, Schiebel demonstrated the effectiveness of the Camcopter S-100 for search and rescue (SAR), and maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities during the trial program for the Belgian Navy.
Schiebel Camcopter S-100 unmanned helicopter at Euronaval 2018, International Maritime Defense Exhibition in Paris, France. (Picture source Navy Recognition)
The wide-area maritime search capability demonstrated by the UAS is expected to provide the Belgian Navy with the naval patrol capacity required to address challenges related to searching for small objects over vast areas.
The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 has a length of 3,110mm, main rotor diameter of 3,400 mm and height of 1,12 0mm. The maximum take-off weight of the UAS is 200 kg, while the empty weight and payload capacities are 110 kg and 50 kg respectively. It can carry 57l of fuel in the internal tanks and also carries an external fuel tank.
The GPS wavepoints of the Camcopter S-100 are fully pre-programmed, allowing the UAV to fly in an autonomous mode or be manually operated by a pilot. It offers fully automated take-off and landing even in adverse weather conditions, and reduces the need for operator training.
The Camcopter S-100 is designed to carry a 34kg payload for up to six hours in a standard configuration. It can land on helicopter deck-equipped ships without the use of additional landing equipment.
