Schiebel Launches Armed Camcopters

AUSTRIA’S unmanned air system (UAS) manufacturer Schiebel unveiled armed variants of the firm’s two Camcopter S-100 and S-300 rotary-wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS platforms–dubbed the S-101 and S-301 respectively at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2025 exhibition in London.

The S-101 and S-301 are armed variants of the well-established S-100 platform which has been popular across military and law enforcement use across the globe while the S-301 is based on the S-300 which is currently under development. The S-300 is an upsized S-100 which can carry a heavier payload and fly longer.

According to the company, the new platforms can fire missiles and rockets that are already on the market and will likely feature artificial intelligence (AI) onboard and capable of operating in spite of adversarial jamming.

To further its prospects, Schiebel established a dedicated subsidiary Schiebel Defence GmbH to continue its work in the industry. A Schiebel statement read, “With the establishment of Schiebel Defence GmbH, the company is responding to the changing geopolitical challenges and the rising demand for weaponised autonomous systems tailored to military requirements. This marks a strategically important step in further strengthening Schiebel’s position as a leading provider of global defence-grade UAS.”

Chairman of the Schiebel Group Hans Georg Schiebel said, “The worldwide security landscape is shifting rapidly and we are seeing a significant increase in demand for armed unmanned platforms and systems. With the establishment of Schiebel Defence GmbH, we are positioning ourselves to respond directly to this demand. The launch of the weaponised S-101 and S-301 platforms reflects our commitment to providing armed forces with advanced, reliable and mission-ready armed systems that meet the challenges of modern operations.”–sch/adj/dl (Pix:SCHIEBEL)