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.

Long Beach, CA /12 February 2024 – Mayman Aerospace, US-based manufacturer of the Speeder Air Utility Vehicle (AUV), and Savback Helicopters, the independent helicopter and fixed-wing sales specialist, proudly announce the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the procurement of 300 AI-ready Speeder P100 aircraft. Building upon a 2022 LOI for 25 Speeders, this strategic agreement focuses on the latest attritable P100 model, marking a significant leap forward in their partnership.

With a value exceeding US$120 million, the LOI outlines Savback Helicopters’ plan to begin receiving its initial Speeders around Q4 2025, with deliveries continuing through Q2 2027. Recognizing Speeder’s exceptional maneuverability, high-speed capabilities, and substantial payload capacity, Michael Savback, Chairman of Savback Helicopters, said: “Speeder is an outstandingly versatile machine, and we are proud to announce this expanded agreement with Mayman Aerospace. With its advanced VTOL technology, we are confident that Speeder will meet European defense operators’ complex mission requirements.”

Mayman Aerospace is strategically adapting the Speeder family of Air Utility Vehicles to seamlessly integrate with a wide range of battlefield management systems. The P100 model will be equipped for autonomous operation in a networked battlespace, achieve speeds approaching Mach 0.75, and carry a payload of 100lb. The Speeder family of VTOL aircraft will expand to include P400 (400lb payload) and P1000 (1000lb payload) variants.

This agreement further solidifies the existing collaboration between the two innovative companies. Savback Helicopters was appointed as the exclusive marketing and sales representative for the Speeder in the Nordic countries in June 2022, and this expanded LOI reflects its growing confidence in the aircraft.

Mayman Aerospace’s CEO and founder, David Mayman comments on Speeder AUV platform’s potential in defense applications: “This LOI with Savback Helicopters demonstrates the Speeder AUV platform’s real-world military market demand. We are delivering an aircraft ready for integration into the next-generation AI-managed battlefield. The Speeder system delivers essential value for defense applications through its ease of deployment, reduced operational cost and extensive capabilities. We are excited to be working under contract with the US Department of Defense to further develop and certify the Speeder range of aircraft and anticipate high-speed Speeder P100 testing in Q3 2024.”

The jet-powered Speeder, based on scalable technology, takes off and lands vertically, and is capable of moving heavy payloads at very high speeds. It is fully reusable and outpaces electric drones and eVTOLs while being faster, more compact, and more cost-effective than traditional helicopters.

www.MaymanAerospace.com