S-100 UAV Advantages in Search and Rescue Demonstrated

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Schiebel has successfully conducted flight trials with the Camcopter S-100 unmanned air system (UAS) in order to demonstrate its capabilities for the Belgian Navy. The company demonstrated the effectiveness of the unmanned system’s search and rescue (SAR), and maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities during the trial programme.

Camcopter S-100 is a VTOL UAS that requires no prepared area or supporting equipment to conduct launch and recovery. The unmanned helicopter features a beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) capability of up to 200km and is capable of operating both day and night under adverse weather conditions over land and sea.

The aircraft was equipped with two payloads, in addition to an automatic identification system (AIS) receiver and a rescue drop box in order to carry out the demonstration flights.

The trial period saw the helicopter perform several operations in different search and rescue scenarios in a land-based setting in Lombardsijde, Belgium, as well as in a maritime environment in the naval port of Zeebrugge, according to naval-technology.

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.