Quantum Systems, Frontline Robotics Launch Joint Drone Production in Germany
For the first time, Ukrainian drones will be produced on an industrial scale in Germany. This development comes from German drone maker Quantum Systems and Ukrainian UAV manufacturer, Frontline Robotics, who have announced a joint manufacturing venture as part of a government-supported initiative.
Their new partnership, Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), marks the establishment of the first fully automated, large-scale foreign production line for drones intended for Ukraine’s Defense Forces. The announcement was made on December 15th under the Build with Ukraine program, focusing on mass-producing multi-use drones that have already proven effective on the battlefield, developed by Frontline Robotics.
The project was made possible by a recent shift in Ukrainian defense policy. On October 28, 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky formally authorized a controlled arms export and foreign co-production framework, ending Ukraine’s near-total wartime ban on defense exports. The policy allows Ukrainian companies to license designs, enter joint ventures, and manufacture weapons abroad, provided domestic military needs are prioritized and exports remain tightly regulated.
Every drone built at the German facility will go to Ukraine in quantities determined by the country’s Defense Ministry. QFI plans to manufacture more than 10,000 of Frontline’s Zum and Linza drones annually, making it one of the largest production efforts for Ukrainian military UAVs outside the country. The production line, which blends Ukrainian combat-tested designs with German automation technology, is viewed by both companies as a new model of international defense cooperation. The project is expected to generate jobs in Germany, including positions for Ukrainians.
Quantum Systems will provide the necessary infrastructure and manage the production process, while Frontline Robotics will supply licensed drone designs, offer training, and support maintenance - all in line with NATO standards. Sven Kruck, Quantum Systems’ co-CEO, stated, “Ukrainians have revolutionized drone warfare; now we’ll transform industrial production together.” Yevhen Tretiak, CEO of Frontline Robotics, described the partnership as a template for future collaborations between Ukrainian and European defense firms, highlighting its goal of equipping Ukraine’s Defense Forces with thousands of drones to counter Russian aggression.
QFI will be headed by Matthias Lehna, a former German infantry officer with experience at Berlin’s Cyber Innovation Hub and currently director of governmental relations and business development at Quantum Systems. He outlined the joint venture’s main goals: to scale up, expand capabilities, and foster innovation. Mykyta Rozhkov, chief business development officer of Frontline Robotics, emphasized that working with Quantum Systems helps overcome the challenges of securing safe manufacturing sites inside Ukraine during wartime. The initiative builds on an earlier strategic partnership agreement and is seen as a step toward forming a European drone industry based on Ukrainian innovation and German engineering. For security reasons, the precise location of the factory has not been revealed.
Recently, Denmark became the first NATO member to formally approve of Ukraine’s establishment of defense manufacturing facilities within its borders, a development that seems to have signaled an advancement in Europe’s support for Ukraine. Several additional European countries are hosting early-stage or planned production efforts, but these have not yet been publicly confirmed as operating at industrial scale.
Ukraine’s decision to permit licensed foreign co-production of defense systems creates new opportunities for industrial factories across Europe, particularly for facilities with underutilized manufacturing capacity. By permitting Ukrainian firms to license combat-tested drone designs for production abroad, European manufacturers potentially benefit from the repurposing of existing automotive, aerospace, and electronics facilities for drone assembly, component production, and final integration. The shift offers long-term, volume-driven contracts rather than one-off arms orders, lowering barriers for European companies to enter defense manufacturing while integrating them into NATO-aligned supply chains. The model is a scalable template for expanding Europe’s defense-industrial base without requiring entirely new infrastructure.
Quantum Systems, a German firm, specializes in unmanned aerial vehicles, serving military, government, and commercial clients with surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, autonomous systems, and integrated solutions using hardware and AI technology.
Frontline Robotics, founded in Ukraine in August 2023, has roots in developing defense tech for Ukraine’s military since 2014. Its products include air and ground robotics like the Zoom reconnaissance drone, Linza bomber drone, and Burya robotic turret, all field-tested during conflict.