New Austrian Camcopter drone could help stop Shahed attacks in Ukraine

The Austrian company Schiebel has unveiled the Camcopter S-301, a new armed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) helicopter-style drone designed for precision strike missions. Displayed at UMEX 2026 in Abu Dhabi, the S-301 marks a shift from traditional surveillance roles toward armed operations, reflecting battlefield lessons from the war in Ukraine. It can carry dual launch pods equipped with Thales 70 mm FZ275 semi-active laser-guided rockets, enabling it to engage targets such as long-range attack drones like the Russian Shahed or Geran series. The drone’s design emphasizes operational flexibility, capable of deployment from ships, ground vehicles, or austere forward locations, aligning with the mobile and rapidly redeployable tactics needed to counter persistent missile and drone threats in Ukraine. Building on the legacy of Schiebel’s earlier S-100 model, the S-301 is tailored for high-intensity, electronically contested environments, featuring embedded autonomy, military-grade systems integration,