Schiebel's Camcopter S-100 UAS to be deployed by the UK Coast Guard.

According to a PR published by Bristow on August 12, 2022, the global leader in vertical flight, has been awarded a 10-year contract by the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) to deliver the Second-Generation Search and Rescue (UKSAR2G) program. The contract includes the operational deployment of Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS).
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Camcopter S-100 Unmanned Aircraft System (Picture source: Schiebel)

The new contract expands and builds on the existing capabilities Bristow has delivered to the MCA since 2015, most notably the life-saving search and rescue helicopter service (SAR) for HM Coastguard.

In January 2019, Bristow received the delivery of its first Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S-100 system, consisting of two aircraft, a Ground Control Station and engineering and logistic support as a Proof of Concept capability.

Its aim was to prove the utility of combining unmanned with manned aviation in the SAR role to ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness. In 2022, Bristow took delivery of a second system, stationed on the south coast of England supporting the MCA and HM Coastguard operations in the English Channel. Recently, Bristow trained additional pilots and engineers to maintain its fleet of S-100 in the UK.

The CAMCOPTER® S-100 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 of payloads, out to 200 km, both on land and at sea.

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 is able to carry multiple sensors, enabling customers to gather images with an EO/IR camera, detect and identify electronic signatures with ESM systems and use SAR radar simultaneously in real-time with only one system.