| Camcopter S-100 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Camcopter S-100 in operation forEuropean Maritime Safety Agency, 2021 | |
| General information | |
| Type | UAV |
| Manufacturer | Schiebel |
| Status | in service |
| Primary users | UAE Army |
| Number built | > 540[1] |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 2005[2] |
TheSchiebel Camcopter S-100 is an Austrianunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using arotorcraft design.
Produced by the Austrian companySchiebel, it was developed from 2003 to 2005. With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 200 kg (440 lb), its endurance is 6 hours (extendable to over 10 hours with optional externalAVGAS fuel tanks fitted[3]). It has a maximum speed of 220 km/h (140 mph) and a ceiling of 5,500 m (18,000 ft). It is powered by a 41 kW (55 hp)SchiebelWankel engine and can carry various payloads, such aselectro-optics andinfrared sensors. The primary radio link between ground station(s) occupy the 5030-5091 MHz band. A secondary link in the UHF band would operate within 433.2125 MHz to 434.4625 MHz.
On 12 March 2012 Schiebel announced that it successfully tested a company-developed heavy-fuel engine. This heavy-fuel engine allows for the use ofJP-5,Jet A-1 orJP-8 jet fuels. These fuels, which are standard on marine vessels, are safer to store and handle than gasoline.[4]
On 7 February 2013, Schiebel flight tested aThales Group I-Master surveillance radar system on the Camcopter at itsWiener Neustadt, Austria, facility. The I-Master system, weighing 30 kg (66 lb), provides groundmoving target indication andsynthetic-aperture radar operations.[5]
The launch customer for the S-100 was theUAE Army, which ordered 40aircraft with an option for 40 more. The aircraft was ordered by three more undisclosed nations, with total orders reaching 200.
The Camcopter underwent sea trials on theIndian Navy'sINS Sujata (P56) during October 2007.[6] Flight testing occurred aboard aPakistan NavyTariq-class destroyer in theArabian Sea on 16 March 2008,[7] with further naval testing on 14 April 2008 on the SpanishGuardia Civil vesselRio Miño offGran Canaria.[6][8]
TheGerman Navy conducted testing during three weeks in August and September 2008 on theBraunschweig-classcorvettesBraunschweig andMagdeburg, respectively. More than 130 takeoffs were conducted, and the UAV maintained unaided on-deck stability in greater than 15° flight deck roll conditions.[9][10]
TheFrench Navy performed test flights during September and October 2008, with a Camcopter spending four days on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean and a further three days on the frigateMontcalm (D642).[6][11]
Libya ordered four Camcopters in 2009, which were placed under command of theKhamis Brigade.[12]
Jordan ordered two S-100s withL3Harris Wescam MX-10EO-IR payloads in July 2010 and accepted delivery in February 2011.[13]
In November 2011 the Camcopter demonstrated flights from the FrenchGowind-classcorvetteL'Adroit.[14] At the same time, the Gorizont (Horizon) Air S-100, a Russian license-built version of the UAV was successfully tested aboard theCoast Guard patrol cutterRubin. Russia intends to equip allRubin-classpatrol boats with these UAVs.[15]
In 2010 theChinese Navy purchased 18 of these systems. Two years later, in May 2012, an unmanned UAV believed to be a Camcopter S-100 was photographed operating from the fantail of a ChineseType 054A frigate.[16]
In April 2012, the Camcopter became the first unmanned helicopter to fly from anItalian Navy vessel when it was flight tested from theMMBersagliere (F-584).[17] In February 2014, the Italian Navy chose the S-100 as its primary unmanned aerial system for shipboard operations, where it will be used forintelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). It will additionally support other activities, such assearch and rescue and natural disaster recovery.[18] They are currently assigned to the4° Gruppo Elicotteri (4th Helicopter Sqn.) based at theGrottaglie Naval Air Station nearTaranto.[19]
In December 2014, the Camcopter went through a series of trials inBizerte,Tunisia, to serve within theTunisian Army. Schiebel selected the Italian companyLeonardo to supply AESA-based SAR radar for the systems which were to enter service in 2017.[20]
In February 2017, theRoyal Australian Navy awarded a contract to provide an unrevealed number of Camcopter systems, plus three-years support.[21] The type is operated by822X Squadron RAN, which is responsible for trialling UAVs.[22]
In 2018, theBelgian Navy conducted a week-long testing of the Camcopter, assessing its utility formaritime surveillance andsearch and rescue.[23]
In early 2023, theRoyal Navy selected the system for operations in an intelligence-gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance role. It is named "Peregrine" in Royal Navy service, after HMSPeregrine, the formerRoyal Naval Air Station Ford. Equipped with theThales I-Master radar and other sensors, it was initially intended to begin operations in thePersian Gulf in mid-2024.[24] In February 2025, it was announced that a Peregrine UAV had successfully completed a number of sorties from the flight deck ofHMS Lancaster, a frigate engaged in anti-narcotic operations in theGulf of Oman.[25]
In August 2025, the Government of Canada awarded two contracts toMDA, which had partnered with Schiebel to offer the Camcopter S-100 and in-service support to theRoyal Canadian Navy. The contracts cover the acquisition of two systems with options for the purchase of a further four. Initial operating capability was expected in 2027/8, with FOC in 2032.[26][27]
TheHellenic Navy acquired the Camcopter to complement the FDI frigates.[28][29] 4 systems (8 vehicles) were ordered in February 2026.[30]
On 10 May 2012, an Austrian engineer from Schiebel was killed and two South Korean colleagues were injured when a Camcopter S-100 crashed into their control vehicle during a test flight in the South Korean city ofIncheon.[31]
On 28 May 2013, Somalia'sHarakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen reportedly shot down a Camcopter S-100 operated by the U.S. military, and released photographs of the wreckage.[32]
On 25 August 2015, forces inYemen shot down a Camcopter S-100 operated by the United Arab Emirates Army in the area ofMukayris of southern Yemen.[33]
On 28 August 2020, a Camcopter S-100 owned by theEuropean Maritime Safety Agency and operated by the CroatianMinistry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure crashed shortly after takeoff fromBrač Airport, causing a fire which destroyed 150 hectares (370 acres) ofmacchia. No injuries were reported.[34][35]
On 20 April 2022, it was claimed that Ukrainian forces shot down a Horizon Air S-100 operated by the Russian Armed Forces using aman-portable air-defense system.[36][37] The images showed the wreckage of a Russian VM-V helicopter target (decoy) with its manufacturer AO TsNTU Dinamika (Russian:АО ЦНТУ «Динамика») written on the plate.
French Navy losses:
Early in November 2022, the French Navy reported the loss of one of their UAVs in the sea. The cause was reported to be technical (failure of theengine control unit). It followed the loss of their first UAV in 2012, also in the sea.[38][39]
A third UAV is reported damaged at sea following an engine over temperature/engine fire during a training flight from Dixmude LHD on November 9th 2024.[40] This event is subject to thesafety investigation M-2024-24-A led by BEA-é.
.jpg)
Australia (will be phased out from the end of June 2024)[41]
Bangladesh (Bangladesh Navy)
Belgium
Canada (from 2027)[26][27]
Egypt[42]
France (French Navy e.g. fromMistral-class landing helicopter dock)
Greece
Iceland (Icelandic Coast Guard)
India (Indian Navy)
Indonesia (Indonesian Navy)
Italy
Jordan
Libya
Malaysia[43]
Mozambique
Thailand
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
United States
United Kingdom (Royal Navy, named "Peregrine")
Data from Schiebel.net (General);[49][50] Armada International (Powerplant 1);[51] Schiebel.net (Powerplant 2)[4]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related lists
The Belgian Navy has finished a weeklong series of test flights with Schiebel's CAMCOPTER S-100 drone as part of the sea service's search for new maritime-surveillance and search-and-rescue equipment, the company announced Tuesday.
