15:28 GMT, October 26, 2009 Vienna | In the fight against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Schiebel has been awarded a sub contract by the U.S. technology company, CenTauri Solutions, to provide its CAMCOPTER S-100 UAV as the air vehicle for a counter IED project known as “Yellow Jacket”. This is Schiebel’s first sale for use of its product by the U.S. DoD.

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York (AFRL) is the U.S. Government’s sponsor for “Yellow Jacket” and has contracted with the U.S. company CenTauri Solutions LLC to examine the feasibility of using a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as part of the solution to help detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from the air. CenTauri Solutions has been contracted by AFRL to design a system incorporating a high definition electro-optical sensor combined with an unintentional electromagnetic emissions detector on board the autonomous, VTOL Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAV. The aim of the $11M feasibility and evaluation contract is to assist in the detection of IEDs, which are identified as the single greatest threat to the lives and safety of US and coalition forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Yellow Jacket” supports the Pentagon's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat organization (JIEDDO) by providing military patrols and convoys with the technology to identify potential IED threats. CenTauri selected the CAMCOPTER S-100 as the aerial vehicle for “Yellow Jacket”. The S-100 can deploy without support from airfields, for over 6 hours at a time carrying up to 75 pounds of different payloads out to ranges of 180km, up to heights of 18,000 ft AMSL and with a small logistics footprint, making it a potent and versatile deterrent.


The CAMCOPTER S-100

Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER S-100 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) is a proven capability for military and civilian applications. The Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS needs no prepared area or supporting launch or recovery equipment. It operates day and night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200km, both on land and at sea. The S-100 navigates via pre-programmed GPS waypoints or is operated with a Pilot Control Unit. Missions are planned and controlled via simple point-and-click graphical user interface and high definition payload imagery is transmitted to the control station in real-time. Using "fly-by-wire" technology controlled by a triple-redundant flight computer, the AV can complete its mission automatically. Its carbon fibre and titanium fuselage provides capacity for a wide range of payload/endurance combinations up to a service ceiling of 18,000 ft and, in the standard AV configuration, carries a 75 lbs payload for over 6 hours.