Drone Company Secures Additional Funding, Totals More Than $110M

Munich-based drone manufacturer Quantum Systems just wrapped up an additional series B funding round with new investments from Notion Capital and Porsche Automobil Holding SE. Existing investors also participated in the round, bringing its total funding to more than $110 million. 

The round originally raised about $71 million and was initially led by HV Capital and DTCP, followed by Project A, Thiel Capital, ScaleUp Fonds Bayern, Omnes Capital and Airbus Ventures, the company said in October 2023.

Quantum plans to use the new investments to “accelerate its internationalization efforts and fund further innovation.” The capital will be used to boost production capabilities and invest in research and development with a particular focus on software and AI.

“With support from our new investors Porsche SE and Notion, we are not just securing funds; we are building partnerships that will drive innovation essential for Europe's technological sovereignty, security and resilience,” said Florian Seibel, Quantum CEO and cofounder. “This investment underscores the confidence in our mission to redefine industries and create lasting impact. I am grateful to all our investors who have supported us on this journey — the best is yet to come. But one thing is certain: without security, nothing is worth anything.”

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Quantum’s AI-equipped drones are used in a variety of industries, including mining, construction, agriculture, utilities, public safety and defense, in which the capture, analysis and additional processing of sensor data from the air are particularly important, the company said. 

Among Quantum’s systems, the Trinity Pro drone is designed for commercial mapping use, while the Vector, Scorpion and Twister small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) and Trinity Tactical drone have military applications. 

Quantum and Airbus Defence & Space recently completed the successful deployment of a swarm of seven AI-controlled drones at the Airbus Drone Center in Manching, Germany. In the trial, which was conducted under the German military’s KITU 2 (Artificial Intelligence for Tactical UAS) study, Quantum’s Vector and Scorpion sUAS were paired with multipurpose drones from Airbus. The reconnaissance data from all the drones was merged in real time to form a joint-situation picture and integrated into the Airbus Fortion Joint C2 battle-management system. 

Additionally, the Vector drones were able to autonomously perform joint-reconnaissance and target-acquisition missions under GPS-denied conditions, similar to those found on the battlefields of Ukraine. 

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“We are not just interested in expanding the technological capabilities of our drones,” said Sven Kruck, Quantum chief revenue officer and managing director. “We want to give customers and users a real advantage in real-life scenarios. Ultimately, it's about protecting soldiers and increasing safety. In the future, there will be no way around software-based and AI-supported systems for drone technology.”