S-100 in ice-breaking operation demo
Schiebel has demonstrated the capabilities of the Camcopter S-100 UAS to Canadian government agencies during trials at Fogo Island in Canada, the company announced on 18 April.
Representatives from the Canadian Coast Guard, the Royal Canadian Navy, Transport Canada, the Canadian National Research Council saw the S-100 showcase its capabilities for ice-breaking operations.
Carrying the Wescam MX-10S payload camera, the S-100 demonstrated its ability to identify vessels, animals and objects at long ranges in open waters under icy winter conditions.
The UAS was deployed aboard the CCGS George R Pearkes, a light icebreaker of the Canadian Coast Guard. About 60 nautical miles north from Fogo Island, the vessel broke through the ice at speeds of up to 14 knots, guided by imagery from Camcopter. The UAS payload provided the crew with a wide view image of the ice structure, and aided the identification of boundaries between flat and rough ice. The flight tests included multiple take-offs and landings in winter conditions.
The Canadian agencies are looking to enhance their operations with UAS technology. One goal of the trials was the enhancement of situational awareness by transmitting pictures directly and in real time to the ships bridge.
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