Rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicles take their place on the warships, as they are cost-effective solutions as well as long-endurance reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities beyond the visual range.
The Royal Australian Navy tested the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter unmanned aerial vehicles in Anzac-class frigates A series of testing activities will be carried out on the HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) under the responsibility of the 822X Squadron. Within the NMP (Navy Minor Project) 1942, which will be carried out under the SEA 129 Project Phase 5, the Royal Australian Navy has been looking for a rotating wing UAV to be deployed on offshore patrol vehicles.
Australia also conducted a series of testing activities in 2018 with the JP-5 fuel-powered model of the S-100s. The platform, which can take off and land even in windy environments at 25 knots / hour, has up to 6 hours with endurance with 35 kilograms payload. The aircraft, with a maximum load limit of 50 kilograms, can perform different tasks with FLIR electro-optics, LIDAR, radar or SIGINT equipment at 200 km range. According to the company data, the endurance of S-100, which can be equipped with an external fuel tank, can be extended up to 10 hours. The UAV, which can climb to a 18,000 feet service ceiling, is patrolling at 55 knots/hour.
