Unmanned systems at Schiebel: “All these systems also serve civilian tasks”

At “DroneVation & Defence 2025” (DVD 2025) in Vienna, the Austrian company Schiebel is presenting its latest developments. Founded in 1951, the company is one of the leading manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems and is known internationally above all for the Camcopter S-100.

It is used worldwide in military, civilian and humanitarian missions – from coastal surveillance and search and rescue operations to military reconnaissance. Besides drone technology, Schiebel also develops mine detection systems and composite materials. At the show we spoke with Michael Hofstätter and Nikolaus Weihs of Schiebel about current projects, operational scenarios and technological challenges.

Mr Hofstätter, what are you presenting here at the show?
With the CBRN SaaS we are presenting a complete system for NBC reconnaissance, i.e. for nuclear, biological and chemical threat situations. Such scenarios also exist in the civilian sphere – for example in the event of an explosion in a chemical plant or an accident at a nuclear power station. Our vehicles are equipped with sensors that can detect chemical substances and radioactivity.

Here an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) work together as a team. The vehicles' data are exchanged in real time and merged into a common situational picture that is available to decision-makers.

Depending on the mission, the models can be equipped with different sensors – or with gripper arms for taking samples, which is particularly important in the NBC field in order to be able to identify various substances.

Mr Weihs, which new requirements from current conflicts are currently shaping the further development of the Campcopter?
We naturally draw the appropriate lessons from current scenarios. For example, we were deployed in Romania as part of EMSA missions (European Maritime Safety Agency) – for coastal surveillance. There our systems were jammed several times, i.e. electronically disrupted. This threat is real and must not be underestimated.

The Campcopter S100 was also deployed in Ukraine. There, GPS jamming and spoofing occurred frequently. These are the disruption and manipulation of satellite signals. We responded and used anti-jamming devices to mitigate the effects.

We are currently working on additionally safeguarding navigation using digital maps and image-based methods. However, the project is still at an early stage of development.

So the Campcopter could then fly without satellite navigation?
At present, navigation is based predominantly on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). However, we are working intensively on alternative methods – such as terrestrial navigation systems – in order to remain operational even in the event of outages or interference.

Mr Hofstätter, the drone industry is often associated exclusively with military operations. Which civilian applications play a role in your work?
All these systems serve not only military purposes but also civilian tasks. The Campcopter is used, for example, to locate shipwrecked people or to monitor shipping traffic. With a special sensor system we can analyse exhaust plumes and determine whether ships are burning heavy fuel oil – which is prohibited in the EU. In this way violations can be proven, and at the same time people in distress at sea can be found. It would therefore be wrong to reduce the Campcopter solely to military applications.