From Sept. 16 to 27, Schiebel successfully demonstrated the shipboard integration of its Camcopter S-100 UAS on board the KV Svalbard to the Norwegian Coast Guard. The company also showcased the drone’s search and rescue capabilities during flight trials.

The search and rescue mission involved the Camcopter S-100 UAS teaming up with a manned Sea King helicopter during a simulated “man over board” operation.

The Camcopter S-100 found the “man over board” dummy. The UAS was equipped with several crucial technologies, including the Overwatch Imaging PT-8 Oceanwatch wide-area maritime surveillance payload, the L3 Harris Wescam MX-10 real-time Electro-Optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) camera, and a harpoon system designed by Schiebel that supports takeoff and landing in conditions up to Sea State 5.

The images were transmitted in real time to the operational room on board of the KV Svalbard, as well as to a local land based control center via its Radionor’s Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR) link where it was distributed using the internet and broadcast to the Joint Rescue Center, allowing the manned helicopter to retrieve the dummy from the water to the deck of the KV Svalbard.

“This successful search and rescue trial is another great example of Schiebel continuously staying ahead of the curve,” says Hans Georg Schiebel, chairman of the Schiebel Group.

“The S-100 is the only VTOL UAS outside of the United States that is routinely flying from ships and in addition it is capable to carry a multitude of payloads. Especially for maritime search and rescue missions, the capabilities of the S-100 convince customers, given its compact size and it being able to scan vast areas for small objects.”