Wedgetail Aerospace, supported by Schiebel Pacific, successfully obtained the approval from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to operate the Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) in civil airspace. It is the first large (>150 kg) Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS to attain this civil approval from the Australian authorities. Wedgetail Aerospace, in close cooperation with Schiebel Pacific and the Australian authorities, completed the process to achieve their experimental approval with a series of flight demonstrations in Western Australia. This endorsement enables the S-100 to operate in Australian civil airspace. Possible applications now being pursued include fire and disaster monitoring, cargo delivery, as well as inspections and surveillance. Additionally, Wedgetail Aerospace is a CASA approved training organisation and will offer an S-100 license for civil operations. Of note, the S-100 is regularly flying under a Defence Aviation Safety Agency (DASA) UAS permit, which the Royal Australian Navy obtained back in 2017 for their S-100 operations.
“Wedgetail Aerospace are delighted to have been able to work with Schiebel to achieve the first approval in Australia to operate a Large Category UAS and will now bring this transformational technology to the commercial market”, said Thomas Symes CEO of Wedgetail Aerospace.
“This is a significant milestone for Schiebel Pacific and its Australian RPAS operations. The CASA approval enables us to offer the outstanding capabilities of the CAMCOPTER® S-100 system to the civil sector. With strong local partners, our wealth of experience in the operation of the S-100 and now with the approval of CASA, we are very well positioned for the Australian commercial market,” said Fabian Knechtl, Managing Director at Schiebel Pacific.
Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100 Uncrewed Air System (UAS) is an operationally proven capability for military and civilian applications. The Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS requires no prepared area or supporting equipment to enable launch and recovery. It operates by day and by night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 km / 108 nm, over land and sea. Its carbon fibre and titanium fuselage provides capacity for a wide range of payload / endurance combinations up to a service ceiling of 5,500 m / 18,000 ft. In a typical configuration, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 carries a 34-kg / 75-lbs payload up to 10 hours and is powered with AVGas 1, JP-5 (F-44) or Jet-A1. In addition to its standard GPS waypoint or manual navigation, the S-100 can successfully operates in GPS-denied environments, with missions planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface. The high-tech unmanned helicopter is backed by Schiebel’s excellent customer support and training services.
Wedgetail Aerospace Pty Ltd is an agnostic drone service provider focused on air freight and data acquisition. The company are committed to providing our clients with innovative solutions that optimise their operations, increase efficiency and generate new value through the integration of drones and our world class capabilities/solutions. The team of specialist operators have thousands of hours covering all categories of drones. By partnering with Wedgetail Aerospace our customers get access to the very best pilots, cutting-edge technologies and tools to deliver high-quality results that meet their unique needs and requirements.
Schiebel Pacific Pty Ltd (SPL), the Australian subsidiary of the Vienna-based Schiebel Group, demonstrates a commitment to local industry and is backed by Schiebel’s international reputation for quality defence products and exceptional after-sales services. The Australian base focuses on contract management, service provision, production and maintenance of the revolutionary CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS), providing the Pacific region with a permanent and comprehensive programme, logistics and sales hub.
