Schiebel’s Group-developed Camcopter S-100 unmanned air system (UAS) has successfully completed search-and-rescue (SAR) missions in the Mediterranean for global charity organisation Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS).

The UAS and a team of on-board operators were provided by Schiebel to support missions from MOAS ship MY Phoenix.

This year, MOAS partnered with the Italian Red Cross to conduct the humanitarian efforts starting from Valetta, Malta.

"The use of drones has been instrumental to MOAS' successful humanitarian efforts."

More than 19,000 men, women and children were saved from drowning in the sea while attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

MOAS founder Christopher Catrambone said: “The use of drones has been instrumental to MOAS' successful humanitarian efforts.

“The Schiebel Camcopter S-100, with its takeoff and landing capability on the 40m-long ship MY Phoenix, has been providing real-time daylight and infrared video, widening the view of the crew on-board and enabling them to locate migrants in distress even well beyond the horizon.”

The Camcopter S-100 has been designed as a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS, which requires no prepared area or supporting launch or recovery equipment.

It can operate day and night, in adverse meteorological conditions, with a range of up to 200km, both on land and at sea.

The S-100 uses pre-programmed GPS waypoints for automatic navigation, or can be operated directly with a pilot control unit, and transmits high-definition payload imagery to the control station in real-time.


Image: Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 system. Photo: courtesy of Schiebel Corporation.