The Future of Police Air Support: NPAS Begins Trials with CAMCOPTER S-100 BVLOS Drone
The UK's National Police Air Service begins trials with the S-100 UAS to assess its integration into a mixed fleet for air support operations.
/https://aviacionlinecdn.eleco.com.ar/media/2025/08/npas_camcopter_s_100_1.jpeg)
The UK's National Police Air Service (NPAS) has launched its first series of trial flights with an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) capable of operating Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). This program, funded by the British Home Office, represents a key step forward in shaping the future of air support for police forces across England and Wales.
The objective of these trials is to determine how BVLOS UAS can complement the traditional fleet of manned helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, aiming to enhance air support delivery through greater flexibility, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.
The aircraft selected for this program is the CAMCOPTER® S-100, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) system supplied by the Austrian manufacturer Schiebel. This UAS has an extensive operational history in defense and maritime surveillance sectors globally, which speaks to its robustness and reliability.
Neil Hunter, Head of Global Sales at Schiebel, expressed the company's pride in supporting the NPAS evaluation, highlighting that the S-100 will deliver a "powerful advantage in law enforcement missions across the UK" due to "its proven performance, flexibility and ability to deliver real-time intelligence and surveillance using powerful high-resolution sensors."
The trials are conducted within a high-security regulatory framework. Earlier this year, NPAS was awarded a place in the UK Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) BVLOS Integration Sandbox, a controlled environment designed to safely test new aviation technologies.
According to Sophie O'Sullivan, Director of Future of Flight at the UK CAA, the authority is "committed to enabling the emergency services across the UK to harness cutting-edge aviation technology." She added that the data gathered from these trials "will play a vital role in shaping future policies and accelerating the safe and effective integration of new technologies."
Key Facts on the Police UAS Trials
What is it? A trial program for an advanced drone (UAS) that flies beyond the pilot's line of sight (BVLOS).
Aircraft: Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S-100, with a 200 kg maximum weight, a speed of 100 knots (115 mph), and up to 6 hours of endurance.
Objective: Not to replace helicopters, but to create a "blended fleet" so the right tool is available at the right time.
Safety: Operations are conducted in a Temporary Danger Area over the Severn Estuary, away from populated areas and under the supervision of the CAA and NATS.
David Walters, Head of Futures and Innovation at NPAS, explained that this initiative is part of an effort to modernize the service. "If successful, this could pave the way for a highly capable and sustainable blended fleet of helicopters, aeroplanes and uncrewed aircraft," he stated. The goal, according to Walters, is to "ensure the right tool is available at the right time, in the right place, to support policing across England and Wales."
Airspace management is a critical component. NPAS is working closely with NATS, the UK's leading provider of air traffic control services. Mark Balsdon, Head of New Airspace Users Accounts and Partnerships at NATS, commented that the project "represents another opportunity for us to demonstrate how we can integrate drones of all types into UK airspace safely, sustainably and at scale."
The trial flights, which began in July 2025, are conducted at night from a privately-operated commercial site at the Severn Estuary, flying over open water and undeveloped land to eliminate any risk of conflict with other aircraft.
Para comentar, debés estar registradoPor favor, iniciá sesión