Enhancing Maritime Surveillance: the Role of Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER S-100
In collaboration with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), Schiebel is deploying it’s CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to bolster the Icelandic Coast Guard’s maritime situational awareness, providing critical support for various operational missions around the clock.
Operational deployment and Coverage
The UAV is currently being utilized from the patrol vessels ICGV Thor and ICGV freyja, allowing the Icelandic Coast Guard to enhance its surveillance capabilities across its extensive Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This strategic deployment enables a broader monitoring range, crucial for effective maritime governance.
Key Functions and Responsibilities
The primary objective of the S-100 is to detect vessels and monitor activities of interest from a substantially extended distance, thereby improving the situational awareness of the ships. Its operational scope includes fisheries oversight, maritime safety enforcement, security for ships and ports, environmental protection initiatives, and support for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations when necessary.
Advanced technological Features
equipped with a Trakka TC-300 Electro-Optical / Infra-Red (EO/IR) camera gimbal,and set to incorporate an MX-10 Gen-4 in the future,the S-100 is also outfitted with an Overwatch Imaging PT-8 Oceanwatch wide-area camera,a Becker Avionics BD406 Emergency Beacon Locator,and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver. These advanced tools enable extensive surveillance and data collection.
Industry Recognition and future Prospects
Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the schiebel Group, remarked, “This operation is part of our ongoing service agreements with EMSA. It’s encouraging to see an increasing number of European maritime authorities leveraging the outstanding capabilities of the S-100.The CAMCOPTER S-100 is proving its reliability and effectiveness, particularly in maritime operations.”
As maritime challenges evolve,the integration of UAV technology like the CAMCOPTER S-100 is becoming indispensable for enhancing safety and operational efficiency in maritime environments.
