Quantum Systems

Lore & Background

The company was founded by former Bundeswehr officer Florian Seibel in January 2015. Seibel, a former military helicopter pilot and aerospace researcher at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, initially aimed to create small UAVs for civilian use. After patenting a drone prototype with a colleague, he left his PhD work and founded the start-up Quantum-Systems. The company is backed by investors including HV Capital, DTCP, Thiel Capital, Project A, Airbus Ventures, Omnes Capital, and ScaleUp Fonds Bayern. In May 2025, Quantum Systems became Europe's first dual-use unicorn and third defense unicorn, after fellow Bavarian startup Helsing and the Portuguese Tekever. In July 2026, Quantum completed a new fundraising of $1.2 billion, setting a valuation of $8 billion.

The company's product line includes the Tron, Trinity, Vector, Scorpion, Sparta, and Reliant series. The Tron was the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) fixed-wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) developed by Quantum-Systems, released in March 2017. The Trinity series, its flagship UAV, has three VTOL pitch-shift propellers, a foam fuselage, and modular payload systems supporting up to 700g; it was mainly used for land surveying and mapping in agriculture and construction across several countries, including Germany, Indonesia, Ghana, the US, and later Ukraine, where it was also deployed in Chernobyl. The Vector, a tactical drone designed for portability and field deployment, was introduced in September 2020 in partnership with Auterion. Sparta is a mothership drone in development described as a drone carrier developed for Ukraine. Reliant is a 4.3m wide and 2.38m long drone carrier designed for the U.S., capable of launching the Archer drone designed by the U.S. company Neros.

Military operators include Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, and the United States. Notable orders include the Vector selected by the Australian Defence in July 2024 through the Land 129 Phase 4B programme for AUD $90 million, and a framework agreement for 747 Twister drones approved in December 2025 for Germany. Ukraine has received 619 VECTOR drones supplied by Germany as of April 2025.

Reader's Guide

Quantum-Systems is notable for its rapid growth from a civilian agricultural drone startup to a dual-use defense company, particularly after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The company is considered one of the fast-growing firms challenging traditional dominant defense companies. Its achievement of becoming Europe's first dual-use unicorn in May 2025, followed by a $1.2 billion fundraising in July 2026 that set an $8 billion valuation, underscores its significant market position. The company's products, especially the Vector and Trinity series, have been adopted by multiple national militaries and government agencies, including Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, Spain, Ukraine, and the United States. The large-scale orders from Ukraine, totaling 619 VECTOR drones supplied by Germany as of April 2025, highlight the company's role in modern conflict. The development of mothership drones like Sparta and Reliant indicates a strategic expansion into drone carrier systems. The company's partnerships, such as with Auterion for U.S. government sector access and with Neros for the Reliant system, further demonstrate its integration into the global defense ecosystem.

Did You Know?

• Quantum-Systems was founded in January 2015 by former Bundeswehr officer and military helicopter pilot Florian Seibel.
• In July 2026, Quantum-Systems raised $1.2 billion at an $8 billion valuation.
• As of April 2025, Germany had supplied 619 VECTOR drones to Ukraine.