On February 14, 2022, Lt. General Apichai Sompolkrang, Director of NRCT presided over the signing ceremony for the project to supply the unmanned aerial vehicle phase 2, model Schiebel Camcopter S-100 with Schiebel Aircraft GmbH, there will be 2 systems. It is an unmanned aerial vehicle in the amount of 4 unmanned helicopters with equipment systems and other support related in the total amount of $17,193,828. The House of Representatives agreed to spend a total budget of THB570 million ($18.38 million) for these systems in August 2021.
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) operates a mixed fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, but it is adding more Austrian-built Camcopters to the mix. Schiebel has received a contract from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) to supply its Camcopter S-100 vertical take off and landing (VTOL) unmanned air systems (UAS). The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process. Schiebel has formed a partnership with Thailand-based MoraThai Defence Company. The aircrafts will be stationed at the Royal Thai Navy Naval Aviation Division Battleship Fleet, Ban Chang District, Rayong Province 1 system and 491st Air and Coastal Defence Command, Satun Province 1 system.
The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 is an Austrian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using a rotorcraft design. The Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS needs no prepared area or supporting launch or recovery equipment. It operates day and night, under adverse weather conditions, with a range out to 200 km, both on land and at sea. The S-100 navigates automatically via pre-programmed GPS waypoints or can be operated directly with a pilot control unit. Missions are planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface.
Produced by the Austrian company Schiebel, it was developed from 2003 to 2005. With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 200 kilograms (440 lb), its endurance is 6 hours (extendable to over 10 hours with optional external AVGAS fuel tanks fitted[1]). It has a maximum speed of 220 kilometres per hour (140 mph) and a ceiling of 5,500 metres (18,000 ft). It is powered by a 55 horsepower (41 kW) Diamond engine and can carry various payloads, such as electro-optics and infrared sensors.
