07:13 GMT, October 15, 2008 The Austrian company Schiebel, market leader in unmanned helicopters, and Diehl are offering the CAMCOPTER S-100 to the German armed forces. In a comprehensive test program of the German Navy, CAMCOPTER S-100 has repeatedly proved its capability of safe operations on vessels in heavy seas and rough conditions. The system is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance and protection and concluded more than 130 starts and landings in August/September 2008 on board the Corvettes K 130 Magdeburg and Braunschweig at wind speeds exceeding 40 knots and flight deck roll angles of more than +/-8°.

On the basis of a 2005 cooperation agreement, the company Diehl BGT Defence is supporting the introduction of the CAMCOPTER® S-100 in the German armed forces. Diehl BGT Defence´s workshare includes ship integration, equipment with electro-optical infrared sensors as well as the entire logistics , spare parts and maintenance.

The CAMCOPTER® S-100 has been operative in several countries since 2006 and was successfully tested among others by the Spanish Navy. Compared to competing products, it offers naval users a proven and reliable system in the rough operating conditions at sea. Featuring a maximum take-off weight of 200 kg, a possible payload of 50 kg and flight duration of more than six hours, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 achieves a range of 180 km. The unmanned aerial system performs reconnaissance-, surveillance- and protection tasks for armed forces at sea, over littoral terrain as well as in land missions.

The successful tests mark an important step towards possible operation of the CAMCOPTER® S-100 by the German Navy.