Back in mid-2024, the government pulled the plug on Navy’s trials with the Austrian Schiebel S-100 Camcopter, ending a period of experimentation in which the rotary wing Camcopters operated from warships with zero issues.
Two years on, Schiebel is hoping the divorce isn’t final.
Schiebel sales director Fabian Knechtl told ADM this decision was disappointing and frustrating as their only explanation was that the Camcopter capability no longer aligned with defence priorities.
“We were prepared to notably expand our footprint here in Australia,” he said at the 2026 Land Forces defence expo in Perth.
“Until today we are waiting for an articulation of what Navy wants. They told us we don’t know what we want. We are keen to understand it.”
In place of Camcopter in maritime service, the Navy now operates the Insitu Pacific RQ-21 Integrator, a fixed wing UAS requiring a catapult for launch and a capture system to recover.
In contrast, the Camcopter required only a clear piece of deck.
Knechtl said Schiebel believed a true vertical takeoff and landing system, with no launch and recovery elements, would be the better capability.
“Nevertheless, we accept that. We don’t have any grief. We would be happy to promote our newest and latest capabilities when the time arises. But we are waiting for Navy to articulate what is their desire.”
One possibility is that Navy and Army UAS requirements would again be separated.
In all Australia acquired eight Camcopters, with the last few upgraded to meet a Navy requirement that they be powered by heavy fuel rather than petrol.
That meant Camcopters could operate on the same fuel as Navy helicopters, rather than requiring a different and more flammable fuel.
Knechtl said the heavy fuel engine was now the standard Scheibel offering.
“All our customers now only buy this engine that Navy helped us to refine and mature,” he said.
“They can simply use kerosene. They don’t need flammable avgas any more.”
So what has Navy done with its Camcopters? Knechtl said as far as he was aware, they remain in storage at HMAS Albatross.
A new product is the larger S-300 Camcopter, a craft with a 300 kilogram payload and up to 24 hours endurance.
Once Schiebel shunned the concept of arming its Camcopters but the global security situation has promoted a rethink.
“Schiebel for the longest time of our history said we don’t do weaponisation,” he said.
“We separated our product lines to better address two markets.”
Among the potential weapons are 70mm laser guided rockets and the Thales Martlet missile.
One program for the British Army is to create a “loyal wingman” for their Apache attack helicopters, akin to Australia’s Ghost Bat.
Knechtl said Camcopter wasn’t designed to be on the frontlines. But an emerging capability is the ability for a S-100 or S-300 to carry a cargo of smaller ISR drones or loitering munitions.