Bristow, the global leader in vertical flight, has been awarded a 10-year contract by the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) to deliver the Second-Generation Search and Rescue (UKSAR2G) programme. The contract includes the operational deployment of Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS).

aerobd.news : The new contract expands and builds on the existing capabilities Bristow has delivered to the MCA since 2015, most notably the life-saving search and rescue helicopter service (SAR) for HM Coastguard.

In January 2019, Bristow received the delivery of its first Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S-100 system, consisting of two aircraft, a Ground Control Station and engineering and logistic support as a Proof of Concept capability. Its aim was to prove the utility of combining unmanned with manned aviation in the SAR role to ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness. In 2022, Bristow took delivery of a second system, stationed on the south coast of England supporting the MCA and HM Coastguard operations in the English Channel. Recently, Bristow trained additional pilots and engineers to maintain its fleet of S-100 in the UK.

The CAMCOPTER® S-100 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 range of payloads, out to 200 km, both on land and at sea.

Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group, said: “We are immensely proud that the S-100 is the UAS of choice to support SAR activities in the UK. The unrivalled maritime experience of the S-100 and the countless operations all over the world make the Schiebel UAS ideally suited for the UKSAR2G programme.”

About Schiebel :
Founded in 1951 in Vienna, the globally operating Schiebel Group focuses on the development, design and production of the revolutionary CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS). Certified to meet AS/EN 9100 standards, Schiebel has built an international reputation for producing high-tech military, commercial and humanitarian products, which are backed by exceptional after-sales service and support. Schiebel has facilities in Vienna and Wiener Neustadt (Austria), Manassas, VA (USA), Abu Dhabi (UAE), and Shoalhaven (Australia).

About the CAMCOPTER® S-100 :
Schiebel’s CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS) is an operationally proven capability for military and civilian applications. The Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAS requires no prepared area or supporting equipment to enable launch and recovery. It operates by day and by night, under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 km / 108 nm, over land and sea. Its carbon fiber and titanium fuselage provides capacity for a wide range of payload/endurance combinations up to a service ceiling of 5,500 m / 18,000 ft. In a typical configuration, the CAMCOPTER® S-100 carries a 34-kg / 75-lbs payload up to 10 hours and is powered with AVGas or JP-5 heavy fuel. High-definition payload imagery is transmitted to the control station in real time. In addition to its standard GPS waypoint or manual navigation, the S-100 can successfully operate in environments where GPS is not available, with missions planned and controlled via a simple point-and-click graphical user interface. The high-tech unmanned helicopter is backed by Schiebel’s excellent customer support and training services.