The Schiebel Group operates globally and focuses on the development, design and production of the revolutionary Unmanned Air System CAMCOPTER^® S-100. Schiebel has built an international reputation for producing high-military, commercial and humanitarian products, backed with exceptional after sales service and support and is certified to meet AS/EN 91000 standards.

As an innovator, Schiebel has numerous world’s firsts to its credit, such as flying at the Paris Air Show and ILA Berlin; the demonstration of Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), LOI5- control and monitoring of the S-100 including launch and recovery, cargo delivery to an offshore oil rig by vertical lift UAS and having received the Light Unmanned Operator Certificate (LUC) within the European Union.

Schiebel as a leader in rotary UAS has unrivalled experience. It has delivered several hundred UAVs to customers globally, achieved several hundred thousand flight hours across the fleet in all climatic conditions, tens of thousands of embarked maritime flight hours, several thousand deck landing in demanding conditions and has operated from more than forty classes of ships – from small patrol vessels to helicopter carriers.

The CAMCOPTER^® S-100 is continuously being developed using state-of-the-art materials and technology. The production of the S-100 involves a combination of cutting edge technology, high-tech design and innovation. As a result, the unmatched autonomous VTOL S-100 is a perfect fit for both land and sea use, providing a unique balance of proven capability, operational flexibility and outstanding performance.

The innovative composite airframe design enables S-100 to operate as an evergreen system and provides flexibility to upgrade with latest and enhanced capabilities. A typical system setup consists of two S-100 air vehicles with multiple payloads, a ground control system with two work stations and design optimised datalink to ensure minimal footprint and round the clock availability.

CAMCOPTER^® S-100, the VTOL UAS is runway independent, designed to operate up to 18,000 feet in ISA conditions and its endurance exceeds 6 hours (34 kg of payload) with full fuel load. The optional external fuel tank further extends flight time to more than 10 hours. The S-100 can be operated either with aviation fuel or kerosene (heavy fuel). With its small footprint and the absence of launch or recovery equipment, easy manoeuvring and maintenance is a well proven reality. Moreover, the S-100 with its ultimate flexibility meets the diverse and individual requirements of its customer with ease. It can be equipped with 360 degree radar, an EO/IR camera, IFF and AIS to provide superior situational awareness.

Currently, the S-100 is being used extensively by both civil and government agencies worldwide for multi-tasking. These includes over the horizon surveillance, SAR, disaster and accident assistance, overwatch security, border security, convoy protection, frontline resupply, monitoring of maritime activities and more. The UAS has gained extensive experience around the world over the last 15 years and is being operated by 14 navies worldwide.

Recently, Schiebel, successfully demonstrated the capabilities of the CAMCOPTER^® S-100 on board the coastguard vessel in Norwegian waters. It demonstrated the embarked Search and Rescue (SAR) and maritime surveillance capabilities of the CAMCOPTER^® S-100 in the environmental conditions of the Arctic in latitudes above 75 degrees north as an ideal supplement to manned helicopters, greatly enhancing SAR efforts in the remote part of the world. It effectively proved that the CAMCOPTER^® S-100 can operate in adverse weather conditions, where manned helicopters can be at higher risk.

Similarly, the S-100 has proved to be a fast and safe solution for logistics and resupply operations.

Schiebel Group has been working on the development of the S-100’s bigger brother, the S-300. It is estimated that it will come up with a maximum payload capacity of around 250 kg along with maximum endurance of about 20 hours with a light payload. As there are some technical milestones, which need to be overcome, the market availability of the S-300 will take some time.

Schiebel with its increased focus on the Indian market, plans to grow in the next decade showcasing its unrivalled capabilities, developing technology and offering the best Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS available in the global market and being a reliable partner to the Indian defence industry’s Make in India growth story.

Schiebel wishes a Happy Indian Navy Day!!