A drone maker that supplies Ukraine uses the ‘Tesla Approach to Innovation’

• Quantum-Systems is an American technology company that specializes on the development of drones.
• The company has raised over $50 million in funding and is supported by Peter Thiel, an investor.
• Quantum-Systems is determined to become Europe’s most important drone maker.

International demand has been sparked by the war in Ukraine. drone innovationin the defense tech industry.

Quantum-Systems, a German-based company that supplies reconnaissance drones to Ukraine from Germany, is one of the companies that has benefited.

Florian Seibel (CEO) said that Quantum was able “to serve demand from Ukraine with the systems and that’s why it’s what boosted Quantum more than what we would’ve expected for 2022.” 

Founded in 2015, it has raised almost $50 million over two funding rounds this year — $32 million in its Series A round and $17.5 million in the most recent. 

Along the way, Quantum also received an investment from Peter Thiel (the PayPal founder). He praised the company for being a “great company.” “leap ahead”Its competitors.

Seibel said that Quantum is just getting started. Seibel stated that the war in Ukraine only reinforced his belief that Europe should invest more in defense tech and regain its tech sovereignty from superpowers like China and Russia. 

Quantum is a multi-sector company that works in both the commercial and government sectors. It aims to be the European leader in drone robotics by adopting a more holistic strategy.

The ‘Tesla method’ 

Quantum-Systems will invest in all areas of its manufacturing to differentiate itself from its competition, or as Seibel calls “The Tesla approach”

He stated, “You need to do everything from the A to Z.” “You are a hardware business, a manufacturing company, and a data service provider. This makes it very difficult to defend, but it also makes it very defendedable.

The company’s holistic approach towards innovation involves taking control of both its software (such as AI that can transform images into usable data) and its hardware (such as drone ports).

Quantum is currently developing docking stations that can automatically charge and deploy drones. These docking stations will allow for unmanned aerial vehicles to automatically launch in emergency situations. This would allow firefighters to be aware of what to expect before arriving on the scene.

Seibel said that companies such as SpaceX, Tesla, or Apple combine great hardware and even better software. “A combination of hardware and software will deliver the best products for our customers.”

Seibel isn’t naive about the company’s ambitions. Seibel said that it takes money and time to invest in all areas, but that it is a long-term investment.

Europe’s tech sovereignty

The company’s vision seems very ambitious. Quantum will be able to supply a fully autonomous operation for reconnaissance drones that collect high-resolution, real time data.

“Our vision is that police, firefighters or border protection units will one day be able to obtain live video imagery from anywhere,” he stated. “We want to be Europe’s leading drone robotics company, supplying drones into the space.” 

This means that funding will need to be raised from $50 million to $75 millions more, Seibel said. However, Thiel “buying into the roadmap and vision of our company, we are quite confident that it’s possible.”

He said, “I believe it’s the right thing here in Europe to really build upon European tech sovereignty.” “We haven’t done well in the past 10 or 20 years and it’s time now to get into hardware, deep technology, and defense tech and not let it go to Russia or China.”

“I fear that if we don’t act now in those areas, then my children or my children’s kids will live a life they don’t like.”