Schiebel has demonstrated the heavy fuel variant of its Camcopter S-100 as part of the type’s customer acceptance programme with the Royal Australian Navy. During validation and verification flights in an acceptance programme at Jervis Bay in New South Wales, the JP-5 (NATO F44) heavy fuel powered system was equipped with a Wescam MX-10S multispectral targeting system, flown above 10,000ft and at ranges of up to 60 nautical miles (111km). Royal Australian Navy Contract Manager Kevin Beare said the S-100 “performed very well” during the tests.
The Royal Australian Navy is using the platform to achieve the objectives of the Navy Minor Project 1942 to procure a vertical take-off and landing maritime tactical unmanned aircraft system interim capability to provide shipborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Mark Broadbent
