The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class Frigate HMAS Ballarat recently embarked a S-100 Camcopter Vertical Take Off and Land (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for flight trials off the Eastern coast of Australia.

Personnel from RAN’s 822X Squadron and test specialists from the Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Trials Unit (AMAFTU) embarked aboard HMAS Ballarat to collect data on the launch and recovery of the S-100 Camcopter at sea.

Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 UAV is a proven capability for military and civilian applications. It 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.

Trial Director, Lieutenant Commander Chris Broadbent, said the trials were an important part of learning how to combine the payload capacity of the S-100 Camcopter with the warfare capabilities of the 118-metre long Anzac-class Frigate.

Embarked aboard Ballarat, 822X Squadron Flight Commander, Lieutenant Michael Mulquiney, said the S-100 Camcopter could support surface, amphibious or anti-submarine warfare, as well as in search and rescue and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Date: 20.07.2020

Source: Naval News