Quantum Systems Launches First Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Expanding Multi-Domain Ambitions
Quantum Systems has formally entered the ground autonomy market. At the Enforce Tac trade show in Nuremberg, the Munich-based autonomous systems company unveiled MANDRILL, its first unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), marking a deliberate expansion beyond its established aerial portfolio. Best known for its ISR drone platforms, Quantum Systems described MANDRILL as the first in a planned series of ground systems designed to integrate seamlessly into what it calls an overarching multi-domain strategy.
Over the past year, Quantum Systems has consolidated its position in aerial autonomy through both product development and acquisition. Its portfolio includes the mid-range ISR eVTOL Vector, the mapping-focused Trinity, the short-range ISR Twister, and the long-range ISR platform Reliant. Alongside organic growth, the company pursued a series of targeted acquisitions in 2025: AirRobot in March, Nordic Unmanned UK in September, SpleenLab, an AI software developer for autonomous systems, in October, and German ground-autonomy specialist FERNRIDE in December. These transactions were supported by significant capital inflows, including a €160 million funding round in May, a €180 million Series C extension at a €3 billion valuation in December 2025, and an additional €150 million in financing led by the European Investment Bank earlier this month. Quantum Systems is reportedly preparing another funding round of between €400 million and €600 million and is considering a public listing as early as 2027.
The company has also strengthened its position within Germany’s defense modernization effort. In December, Quantum Systems secured a €210 million contract to supply ISR drones to the Bundeswehr, reinforcing its status as a key domestic supplier at a time when Berlin is expanding defense investment and aiming to build Europe’s most capable conventional army. The acquisition of FERNRIDE signaled a clear intent to extend capabilities from aerial systems and AI-driven intelligence into autonomous ground mobility. Partnerships with ARX Robotics and Ukrainian robotics startup Frontline further underscore this progression into land-domain autonomy.
MANDRILL represents the operational expression of that strategy. The vehicle is built around a modular payload architecture capable of supporting ISR missions with EO/IR systems, logistics and resupply, medical evacuation, towing operations, electronic warfare, and even serving as a launch and recovery platform for aerial drones. It operates on Quantum Systems’ MOSAIC USX battle management and command-and-control software, positioning it as a node within networked, multi-domain operations rather than a standalone platform. The company frames MANDRILL not as a single product but as the foundation of a forthcoming family of interoperable ground systems. As Hendrik Kramer, Head of Ground Robotics at Quantum Systems, stated, the objective is to create a modular, networked ecosystem adaptable to evolving operational requirements, with MANDRILL engineered as a robust base for future land-based developments.
As Germany and other European states accelerate defense spending, Quantum Systems is positioning itself as a vertically integrated autonomy provider spanning air and land domains, with software-defined architecture at the core. The launch of MANDRILL suggests a shift from platform-specific growth to ecosystem-level ambition - an effort to anchor itself in the emerging market for integrated, unmanned multi-domain operations.