Camcopter S-100: Deterrence of Illegal Trafficking

Defence Turkey: What are Schiebel’s core capabilities, state-art- technologies, and products?

Founded in 1951, the Vienna-based Schiebel Group focuses on the development, testing and production of state-of-the-art mine detection equipment and the revolutionary Camcopter S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS).

Defence Turkey: Camcopter S-100 is a successful UAS system developed by Schiebel. Could you please inform us more about the UAS, theatre capabilities and advantages from the rivals?

Schiebel is at the forefront of UAS development and production and its highly versatile and fully autonomous CamcopterS-100 Unmanned Air System has been in series production for over eleven years and sold over 200 to global customers to date. 

The Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) UAS needs no prepared area or supporting launch or recoveray equipment. It operates in day and night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 km, both on land and at sea. The S-100 navigates via pre-programmed GPS waypoints or is operated with a pilot control unit. Missions are planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface. High definition payload imagery is transmitted to the control station in real time. Using “fly-by-wire” technology controlled by a triple-redundant flight computer, the UAV can complete its mission automatically. Its carbon fiber and titanium fuselage provides capacity for a wide range of payload/endurance combinations up to a service ceiling of 18,000 ft. In its standard configuration, the Camcopter S-100 carries a 75-lbs/34 kg payload up to 10 hours and is powered with AVGas.

Defence Turkey: In which are areas mostly Camcopter S-100 is effective and can we talk about the cost effectiveness?

Wherever surveillance from the air or sensor measurement is required, the use of the Camcopter S-100 is possible. The Camcopter S-100 especially stands out for its hovering capability, which is of advantage to many surveillance applications. Fields of application for the drone are manifold. The costs of a flight hour are considerably less than those of manned helicopters.

Defence Turkey: Camcopter S-100 act in a major role in rescue operations of the refugees in Mediterranean Sea. Are there any other success stories you can tell us?  

At this point of time the Camcopter S-100 is in service for the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) SMM (Special Monitoring Mission) in Ukraine.

The deployment of the S-100 aims at supporting the OSCE SMM to fulfil its mandate through complementary information gathering on the security situation in the area of operations. Four UAVs are in operation in the Ukraine to provide 24/7 day and night surveillance. The UAVs are deployed near Mariupol in the South-East of Ukraine.

The unmanned helicopters are being provided, flown and maintained by Schiebel under contract to the OSCE and operated under the authority and direction of the SMM, with the mission’s monitors in close attendance. The data collected is the property of the OSCE and for the Mission’s use only.

The Camcopter monitors concentrations of weapons, military movements, military installations and infrastructure damage. The obtained information is reported to the 57 participating states of the OSCE in order to provide a more comprehensive picture of the current security situation on the ground. 

The flights take place mostly along the contact line and within the 15 km “cessation of use of weapons zone” on both sides of the contact line where heavy weapons and equipment are prohibited according to Minsk Memorandum. The Minsk Memorandum, signed by all parties of the conflict on 19 September, specifically allows UAV observation to be conducted exclusively by the OSCE. 

Initially, and until further notice, the S-100 will operate for the OSCE SMM over the area south of Donetsk down to the Sea of Azov, eastwards towards the Ukrainian-Russian state border and westwards as far as 120 kilometers west of the line of contact.

Defence Turkey: Turkey is located in midpoint of the illegal refugee traffics for a while. Within the scope of homeland security protection do you have any negotiations with Turkish Coast Guard or Turkish Authorities?

Schiebel is open for any opportunities that may arise in the future and of course will consider the local requirements and conditions in Turkey. Therefore we would be open to corporate with the Turkish coast guard.

Defence Turkey: “COMID” Compact Mine Detector was revealed by Schiebel in September 2015. Could you please inform us more about the product?

As always for Schiebel, the interest of its many existing humanitarian demining and military customers was considered a vital element in the research process of the COMID. Many years of experience and development have produced a mine detector that incorporates advanced technology whilst retaining all of the proven and trusted capabilities of Schiebel’s mine detection product range with the most operational benefits possible. With the COMID Compact Mine Detector, simplicity meets precision.

Schiebel’s latest mine detector is characterized by easy handling in static search, quick calibration and improved visual and acoustic support functions, helping the user to implement the required actions quickly and safely. The COMID is able to consistently locate both large and small targets with precision and ease.

Simplified pin-pointing is made possible with different audio and visual signals for the left and right halves of the search head, aiming at maximum support with minimal training effort. Furthermore, the tone modulation varies depending on the size and geometry of as well as the distance to the detected object. Always in the visual field, an LED display, integrated in the search head, minimizes the risk of distraction.

Enhanced ground and saltwater compensation eliminates the difficulties of the terrain, helping the deminer to focus on his essential work in all types of military and humanitarian operations. The most recent ground calibration is retained for a steady workflow. The COMID design is totally compatible with its ATMID and AN/19-2 (U.S. Army designation AN/PSS-12) predecessors. Search head and electronics card / unit can easily be replaced for cost-efficient upgrade of older systems. The addition of an infrared data port allows the quick update with new software versions.