A Camcopter S-100 operated by the French Navy.
Schiebel, the Austrian developer of the S-100 Camcopter UAS (uncrewed air system), has opened a French subsidiary.
Schiebel Aéronaval SAS is based in Toulon and will "provide localised support for the French Navy's fleet of S-100 within the framework" of the five-year contract the firm signed with DMAe (Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique) in 2023, according to a company release.
The new division will also be home to production, maintenance and training departments, and "is intended to become the main European production and payload integration site" for the in-development S-300. This larger variant is capable of carrying payloads up to 250kg (551lb) and operating at up to 21,000ft. The S-100's payload capacity is 34kg (75lb) while its operating ceiling is 18,000ft.
The S-300 is considered likely to compete with Airbus's VSR700 for France's expected SDAM (Navy Airborne Drone System) program. When the company began marketing the S-300 in 2023, the aspiration had been to achieve first flight by the end of 2024 and begin deliveries the following year.
In February, the Republic of Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed a contract with a consortium led by Hanwha Systems and including Schiebel which will make the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps the launch customers for the system. Contract value, delivery timeline and number of systems purchased were not disclosed. Production of the systems for South Korea is taking place at Schiebel's Abu Dhabi site, which the firm announced it would be expanding following the Korea deal.
"Opening a facility in Toulon not only enables us to serve the French Navy better, but also to be closer to our French industrial partners and benefit from the advantages of the region, including direct access to the sea," Lubos Sramek, CEO of Schiebel Aéronaval SAS, said. "We are more than excited about the new opportunities this important step will bring."
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