Camcopter S-100

Gorizont G-Air S-100

Camcopter - multi-purpose unmanned helicopter ( UAV ). Designed and created by the Austrian company Schiebel . Development was conducted from 2003 to 2005 .

According to the developers, today the S-100 Camcopter is able to automatically take off and land in a helicopter. It has the ability to control automatically (using the GPS signals receiver) and manual (ground control operator) modes, and is also capable of landing on the ship’s helicopter deck without using additional landing equipment (forced landing system). The latter was confirmed in 2011 - the S-100 Camcopter was then tested aboard an URO frigate of Project 21 from the combat strength of the Pakistan Navy and aboard a patrol ship of the Spanish coast guard. In practice, the S-100 Camcopter confirmed the ability to safely land on the deck of a ship on the move, with an excitement of the sea up to 3 points.

The company Shibel has a major export contract for 80 UAVs of the S-100 Camcopter type, concluded in March 2006 with the UAE armed forces. After the successful completion of all necessary acceptance tests, the device was adopted by the national army, and the developer opened a special assembly line in the UAE. At present, the customer operates 52 unmanned helicopters of this type, and the total number of Kamkopters launched has already reached eight dozen, of which several regularly perform test flights. Located in Vienna (Austria), the Shibel company plant today produces the S-100 Camcopter type UAV at a rate of four vehicles per month.

Despite the fact that the developer did not officially confirm the possibility of serial production of an armed version of the S-100 Camcopter by the developer (however, at the exhibition in Farnborough in 2008, this UAV was demonstrated with a promising LMM rocket), it became known about the successful conduct of fire flight tests, during which The S-100 was fired with an LMM missile. This is confirmed by the demo video on the presentation CD of the Shibel company, which also contains a video recording of static fire tests of the same rocket from the British UAV Herti.

As for the LMM Light Multi-Purpose Rocket, its development has been carried out by Thales specialists since 2007 as part of the concept of an “asymmetric war” (the development is proactive, but launched based on received multiple requests from various customers). Its purpose is to defeat small-sized objects (motor boats, cars, etc.) used mainly by rebel groups and terrorists. The launch mass of the rocket is only 13 kg, it is universal in terms of carrier and is capable of effectively striking a fairly wide range of targets. In the future, the Thales is considering the possibility of equipping the rocket with an inexpensive semi-active laser homing head.

Thus, in the near future, the only helicopter-type combat UAV, the American Fire Scout, may have a worthy competitor, although, of course, it is in a lighter weight category. In this case, the S-100 Camcopter will be able to complement the American armed unmanned helicopter, which is already in service with the US Armed Forces and has proved itself well in recent combat operations.

The first order for 40 vehicles came from the UAE army. Applications were received from three more countries. Total ordered about 200 UAVs . The fuselage is assembled from composite materials. Navigation is carried out using GPS, GLONASS. The control can be carried out at a distance of 50, 90 and 200 kilometers from the base in the area of ​​direct visibility (depending on the selected antenna of the main communication channel). JSC Horizon (Rostov-on-Don), together with Schiebel, have launched the production of unmanned helicopters in Russia, where the complex is called BAK Horizon Air S-100 .

Designed as a vertical take-off and landing helicopter (VTOL). Neither runway nor special ground-based aviation equipment is required. It can be based on ships, offshore platforms, water structures. Designed to solve a wide range of tasks. Can carry various payloads (up to 50 kg).

Areas of use:

- Ensuring safety at sea.

- Power line monitoring.

- Monitoring of ground and surface space.

- Carrying out vessels in difficult ice conditions.

- Detection and control of foci of environmental disasters of natural and man-made origin (fires, oil spills, breakthroughs of oil and gas pipelines, etc.)

- Participation in search and rescue activities in case of emergency.

Autonomy:

fully autonomous take-off, route navigation and landing. The piloting and flight control modules map the coordinates to the map and show the location of the S-100 in real time on the screen with a digital map corresponding to the instrument panel of the aircraft with integrated control data. The payload control computer enables the operator to continuously monitor specific indicators based on flight task data, video and photographing. In case of loss of communication, it automatically returns to the starting point.

Navigation:

duplicating each other inertial and geographic information (INS and GPS / GLONASS) navigation systems - guarantee route accuracy and flight stability. Pilot and flight control data are displayed on the pilot's workplace screen. Data / video transmission: a fully digital, compressed video image (up to 4 parallel video channels ^[1] ) from an optical-electronic module is transmitted in real time to a ground station for collecting information, which is displayed directly on the operator’s workplace screen.

Durability and reliability:

The modular design, with a faceted fuselage shell, is made of strong and lightweight composite material carbon fiber "Monocoque"; the engine is made of high-strength titanium and aluminum. The number of mechanical parts with a limited service life is reduced to an absolute minimum.

Connection:

The LAN interface is a reliable channel for transmitting the navigation and operational data of a ground station, communicating with other sources of information via Ethernet.

Modifications:

The modular scheme of the ground station, consisting of two laptop computers (flight mission and navigation, payload maintenance and video processing), can be expanded and modified. Preparation of the flight task is carried out on the basis of GPS / GLONASS data, to control the flight conditions can also be used data of geographical information systems (GIM) - danger zones, flight bans, etc.

Standard transmission distance: 80/180 ^[1] km (43/97 nm).

Maximum speed: 120 knots (220 km / h).

Cruising speed: 55 knots (100 km / h) (to increase the flight radius).

Maximum flight time: at least 6 hours ^[1] with a payload of 25 ^[1] kg.

Maximum take-off weight: 200 kg.

Dry weight: 100 kg.

Dimensions:

- length: 3110 mm.

- height: 1040 mm.

- width: 1240 mm.

The diameter of the main screw: 3400 mm.

Engine: Austro Engine AE50R Wankel engine, 55 hp / 41 kW (in 2012 it was tested with a Scheiebel engine capable of working on jet fuel - JP-5, Jet-A1, JP-8).

The cost of the device for 2015 is about 60 million rubles.

2005 year. The first buyer of the S-100 was the UAE Army, which ordered 40 drones with a possible expansion of the order by another 40.

October 2007 Tested by the Indian Navy.

March 2008 Tested by the Pakistan Navy.

April 2008 Tested by the coast guard of Spain.

August 2008 Tested by the German Navy.

September 2008 Tested by the French Navy.

April 2009 4 S100 drone were acquired by Libya

2010. The Chinese Navy purchased 18 Siebel based systems. Presumably, these BLAs are equipped with Chinese Type 054 frigates.

February 2011 Jordan received 2 S-100s

November 2011 Russia carried out successful tests of a Gorbel Horizon-powered drone S-100 drone assembled under Siebel license from the board of the Rubin patrol ship.

July 2013 S-100 Tests at the Royal Australian Navy.

February 2014 The Italian Navy chose the S-100 as the main UAV for use in the fleet.

2014-2015 Used by OSCE monitors in Ukraine to monitor the ceasefire.

2015.10 The total volume of overseas sales reached 200 units. Known modifications: OE-VXX, OE-VXV, OE-VXW.

On October 23, 2014, in the region of Mariupol (Ukraine), the OSCE mission launched the Camcopter S-100 to monitor the area. ^[2]

In 2017, tests were performed on Horizon Air S-100 , in arctic conditions on the icebreaker Novorossiysk. The drone demonstrated its full applicability in arctic conditions, successfully performing takeoffs and landings from the deck of an icebreaker. During the "Arctic" campaign, the drone had a special color for the conditions of the North, and as a target load - an optical system and a small-sized radar station. In this case, the Horizon Air S-100 carried out an automatic landing on the deck of the ship. A sensor system is installed on the drone and the helicopter automatically agitates itself with respect to the deck during a disturbance and carries out a normal landing. Tests have confirmed the possibility of using the Horizon Air S-100 type UAV for basing on icebreakers, and therefore it is planned to equip promising Russian icebreakers with helicopter-type complexes. Several projects of icebreakers with nuclear and conventional power plants, in particular, new icebreakers of the type LK-25, provide for the use of UAVs. ^[3]

In 2017, according to various sources, about 30 units of equipment were produced in Russia.

In 2017, at the eighth International Naval Show of the IMDS-2017, Horizont once again demonstrated the Horizon Air S-100 in three versions with different equipment. Used by the Coast Guard of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service of Russia ^[4] , and are also in service with the Patrol Border Ship (PSKR) “Dozorny” ^[5]