IRIA News

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The Camcopter S-100 unmanned aircraft demonstrated multi-mission capabilities in the maritime domain at NATO Exercise REPMUS 2024. Sponsored by the UK Royal Navy and in collaboration with Thales, the Camcopter S-100 successfully carried out multiple missions during the three-week exercise.

The uncrewed aircraft demonstrated its capabilities in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), along with its effectiveness in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Mine Countermeasures (MCM), and Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA), showcasing its versatility and adaptability in complex maritime operations.

Developed by Schiebel Group, the S-100 is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone designed for a range of missions, including ISR and target acquisition. The aircraft’s advanced optical and radar systems, combined with autonomous flight capabilities, demonstrated its effectiveness in enhancing situational awareness for NATO forces.

Chairman of the Schiebel Group, Hans Georg Schiebel said, “Maritime warfare utilizing UAS is becoming more and more front of mind for Navies all over the world. Using the latest technology combined with a proven unmanned asset provides an end-to-end solution for ASW that saves valuable time and significantly reduces risks.”

Georg Schiebel further highlighted, “With our 20-plus years of operational experience, especially in the harsh maritime environment flying from ships, and the exceptional technical specifications of the S-100, it is the ideal UAS to showcase the latest unmanned airborne capabilities at REPMUS.”

According to a Schiebel statement released last week, the company took part in NATO’s large-scale exercise REPMUS 24 (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems), hosted by the Portuguese Navy.

The REPMUS 24 exercise involved about 30 NATO Allies and partner nations and emphasized multi-domain operations involving unmanned platforms in air, surface, and underwater environments. The exercise also focused on integrating unmanned systems in maritime operations.

The Schiebel statement highlighted that the Camcopter S-100, equipped with the VQ-860-G and the VUX-120 LiDARs from the Austrian company Riegl, scanned the exercise waters for both drifting and moored mines.

The advanced laser scanners enabled “simultaneous bathymetric and topographic mapping underwater, on [the] surface, and along coastlines, making the S-100 the perfect asset for detecting sea mines (for MCM) as well as for supporting amphibious operations (for REA),” the company statement added.

During last year’s REPMUS exercise, the Camcopter S-100 successfully deployed four G-size sonobuoys from the air, creating a small Anti-Submarine Warfare barrier. This year, the UAS expanded its capability by deploying more advanced A-size sonobuoys alongside the G-size ones. A second S-100, equipped with the Thales BlueTracker communications payload, relayed sonobuoy data back to the ground station in real-time, extending operational range.

Thales’ M-Cube Mission Management System planned and monitored the mission, while BlueTracker processed the data and transmitted underwater target information to the Combat Management System, showcasing a comprehensive, integrated capability for ASW operations.

CAMCOPTER S-100

Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) is a proven platform suited for both military and civilian missions. With an endurance of up to 6 hours and a range of 200 km, the S-100 is a versatile tool for maritime operations, border patrol, search and rescue, and military reconnaissance missions.

The aircraft’s VTOL capability allows for launch and recovery without the need for runways or additional infrastructure. It is fully autonomous from takeoff to landing, with advanced flight control systems, and can carry a wide range of payloads for different missions.

The Camcopter S-100 can be operated during both day and night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 kilometers over land and sea. It is constructed from carbon fiber and titanium and offers high-definition payload imagery that is transmitted to the control station in real-time.

In addition to its standard GPS waypoint or manual navigation, the S-100 can operate effectively in environments where GPS is not available, with missions planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface.

Specifications:

• Maximum Takeoff Weight: 200 kg (440 lbs)
• Endurance: Up to 6 hours (depending on payload and operational conditions)
• Range: 200 km (124 miles) line-of-sight, with extended range options through satellite communication (SATCOM)
• Length: 3.11 meters (10.2 feet)
• Height: 1.2 meters (3.9 feet)
• Rotor Diameter: 3.4 meters (11.2 feet)
• Service Ceiling: 5,500 meters (18,000 feet)
• Cruising Speed: 100-120 km/h (54-65 knots)
• Payload Capacity: Up to 50 kg (110 lbs), which can include various sensors like electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, radar, laser designators, and electronic warfare systems.