Seamos

The navy drone Seamos (sea reconnaissance and location system) is an unmanned small helicopter equipped with two counterrotating rotors and designated for use on the new corvette K130. The primary tasks of the drone are comprehensive reconnaissance and target acquisition. It is planned to enter service in the year 2005.

The Seamos technology is based on a proven coaxial rotor system with two counterrotating two-blade rotors and an autonomous flight guidance system with state-of-the-art components. The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 1.1 tons and a mission payload of approximately 150 kilograms. Radar sensors, electro-optical sensors, and a data link are planned as payload.

The navy drone Seamos for the German Navy will be developed by the Defense and Civil Systems Business Unit of Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG (Dasa/Munich) at Dornier GmbH in Friedrichshafen. This contract for definition activities and also encompassing test flights, was awarded in October 1998 to Dornier GmbH by the German Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB). The German Navy is the first customer worldwide to have ordered the development of a drone system for maritime reconnaissance.

Under the terms of company-own developments of Dornier GmbH and supported by BWB research funds, it already has been possible to successfully demonstrate automatic takeoff and landings on a moving platform. Dornier is preparing an advanced variant of the Seamos technology demonstrator for test flights. This also includes the expansion of the flight range, the adaptation to the proven hybrid navigation system of Honeywell and a more powerful engine (Allison 250 C 20).

In order to prepare Seamos for its participation in the NATO "UAV International Technology Demonstrator Program", the tactical control station will already be in conformance with the U.S. requirements.