Australia, Perth, 13 February 2024 – Wedgetail Aerospace, supported by Schiebel
Pacific, successfully obtained the approval from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety
Authority (CASA) to operate the Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air
System (UAS) in civil airspace. It is the first large (>150 kg) Vertical Takeoff and
Landing (VTOL) UAS to attain this civil approval from the Australian authorities.
Wedgetail Aerospace, in close cooperation with Schiebel Pacific and the Australian
authorities, completed the process to achieve their experimental approval with a series of
flight demonstrations in Western Australia. This endorsement enables the S-100 to operate
in Australian civil airspace. Possible applications now being pursued include fire and
disaster monitoring, cargo delivery, as well as inspections and surveillance.
Additionally, Wedgetail Aerospace is a CASA approved training organisation and will offer
an S-100 license for civil operations. Of note, the S-100 is regularly flying under a Defence
Aviation Safety Agency (DASA) UAS permit, which the Royal Australian Navy obtained
back in 2017 for their S-100 operations.
“This is a significant milestone for Schiebel Pacific and its Australian RPAS operations. The
CASA approval enables us to offer the outstanding capabilities of the CAMCOPTER®
S-100 system to the civil sector. With strong local partners, our wealth of experience in the
operation of the S-100 and now with the approval of CASA, we are very well positioned for
the Australian commercial market,” said Fabian Knechtl, Managing Director at Schiebel
Pacific.
“Wedgetail Aerospace are delighted to have been able to work with Schiebel to achieve
the first approval in Australia to operate a Large Category UAS and will now bring this
transformational technology to the commercial market”, said Thomas Symes CEO of
Wedgetail Aerospace.