Schiebel along with the Netherlands Aerospace Center, or NLR, the Netherlands Coastguard and the Royal Netherlands Air Force completed a series of flight tests with an Camcopter S-100 equipped with its newly developed AirScout detect and avoid system.

The flight tests were part of the ATM Innovative RPAS Integration for Coastguard Applications program, also known as AIRICA. Company officials say the recent flight tests marked a milestone for the program.

"This demonstration is another positive step towards unmanned air systems gaining access to a broader range of airspace," Schiebel Capability Engineering head Chris Day said in a statement.

During the tests, the Camcopter reacted to "intruder" aircraft in several scenarios. The new detect and avoid system was able to determine corrective action for the Camcopter in real time during the encounters.

"In the future we hope to use unmanned systems for our search and rescue operations. These trials are important to achieve regulations for brining RPAS into non-segregated airspace," Operations Kustwacht head Edwin van der Pol said.