Camcopter S-100 to be use in US DoD Project

26th October 2009 - 09:00 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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In the fight against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Schiebel has been awarded a sub contract by the US 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 US DoD.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York (AFRL) is the US Government’s sponsor for “Yellow Jacket” and has contracted with the US 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.