• Schiebel's Camcopter in flight. Credit: Schiebel
    Schiebel's Camcopter in flight. Credit: Schiebel
  • Schiebel's Camcopter in flight. Credit: Schiebel
    Schiebel's Camcopter in flight. Credit: Schiebel
  • ADM Patrick Durrant
    ADM Patrick Durrant
  • ADM Patrick Durrant
    ADM Patrick Durrant
  • An S-100 Camcopter during Brazilian Navy trials. Credit: Schiebel
    An S-100 Camcopter during Brazilian Navy trials. Credit: Schiebel
  • The S-100 Camcopter is looking to provide an interim capability for Navy’s Maritime Tactical UAS. Credit: Schiebel
    The S-100 Camcopter is looking to provide an interim capability for Navy’s Maritime Tactical UAS. Credit: Schiebel
  • The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 during the evaluation phase. Credit: Schiebel
    The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 during the evaluation phase. Credit: Schiebel
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Schiebel has successfully demonstrated the heavy fuel variant of the Camcopter S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) as part of its customer acceptance program with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Under Navy Minor Project 1942, RAN sought to procure an interim vertical takeoff and landing maritime UAS for shipborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 UAS successfully completed its flying program for RAN's validation and verification customer acceptance program at the Jervis Bay airfield.

Schiebel's Camcopter in flight. Credit: Schiebel
Schiebel's Camcopter in flight. Credit: Schiebel

In a comprehensive series of tests, the heavy fuel powered Camcopter presented its ability to deliver imagery to commanders. The UAS is equipped with a Wescam MX-10S payload, and has an operational range of 60 nautical miles and a maximum altitude above 10,000 feet.

 RAN Contract Manager Kevin Beare said, “The heavy fuel variant of the S-100 has performed very well during the validation and verification program and the RAN looks forward to utilising this platform to achieve NMP1942 project objectives over the coming years.”

“The S-100 will prove to be an effective asset in enhancing the Navy’s ISR capabilities,” said Hans Georg Schiebel, chairman of the Schiebel Group. “We are excited about the positive feedback we are receiving from RAN and are looking forward to continued cooperation in the future.”

RAN is seeking a long-term UAS platform under Sea 129 Phase 5. Likely contenders include Leonardo Helicopters and Air Affairs' AWHERO, Boeing's Firescout, and Saab's Skeldar platform.

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