Schiebel has deployed its CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) to support the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in multi-purpose maritime operations in La Manche and the southern section of the North Sea.
The EMSA contracted Schiebel to support maritime authorities in France and Belgium with the CAMCOPTER® S-100, offering critical support for coastguard functions such as emission monitoring, search and rescue, and maritime surveillance.
Stationed at the Gris-Nez Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in the Pas-de-Calais Department of France, the S-100 supported on request, both participating countries, functioning within airspace validated by the civil aviation authorities of both nations.
The CAMCOPTER® S-100, which is known for its operational maturity, was equipped with advanced technologies including:
- Trakka TC-300 EO/IR sensor
- Explicit Mini Sniffer for emission detection
- Becker Avionics BD406 Emergency Beacon Locator
- Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver
- Mode-S Transponder ADSB out.
These features enabled comprehensive maritime safety and environmental protection capabilities, enhancing response time and improving search and rescue efficiency.
Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group, stated, “We have been supporting EMSA since 2018. The CAMCOPTER® also helped in several search and rescue operations. The S-100 saves valuable response time and enables a quick and efficient way of scanning large areas even for very small objects and anomalies at sea,”
Schiebel’s collaboration with EMSA highlights the growing role of UAS technology in ensuring maritime safety and environmental protection across European waters.
