Germany to host small-drones production line for Ukrainian forces

MILAN — German drone maker Quantum Systems and Ukraine-based Frontline Robotics have announced the creation of a new mass-production line for small drones in Germany to supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The new joint venture, dubbed Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), will manufacture the Zoom and Linza drone variants developed by the Ukrainian company.

Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and is envisioned in the longer term to reach 10,000 units per year, according to a Frontline Robotics spokesperson.

The Linza is designed to perform strike and reconnaissance missions and is able to carry a maximum payload of two kilograms at ranges up to ten kilometers. It is equipped with a communication link resistant to electronic warfare. The Zoom is a reconnaissance drone developed for frontline use.

“Over 60 units [in Ukraine] trust our drones – their primary areas of application are: target acquisition and artillery fire adjustment, transmitting coordinates for combat planning, operating at night and under jamming conditions, and highly resistant to enemy EW,” the spokesperson said in an email to Defense News.

Under the partnership, Quantum Systems will establish a fully automated production line in Germany and Frontline Robotics will provide licensed production rights and additional support, including operator training. The project is expected to generate employment opportunities for Ukrainians in Germany.

In a press release, the companies stated that this was the first initiative of Ukrainian drones to be produced on an industrial scale in Europe and called the transnational co-production “the new German Model.”

Ukrainian forces have been operating the Quantum Systems-made Vector drones since 2022, with hundreds of units delivered since then, per a company statement .

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

米兰——德国无人机制造商 Quantum Systems 和乌克兰 Frontline Robotics 宣布在德国建立一条新的小型无人机大规模生产线，以供应乌克兰武装部队。

这家名为 Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI) 的新合资企业将生产由这家乌克兰公司开发的 Zoom 和 Linza 无人机型号。

据 Frontline Robotics 的一位发言人称，预计将于 2026 年第一季度开始生产，长期目标是每年达到 10,000 台。

Linza无人机设计用于执行打击和侦察任务，最大有效载荷为2公斤，射程可达10公里。它配备了抗电子战通信链路。Zoom是一款专为前线作战开发的侦察无人机。

发言人在发给《防务新闻》的电子邮件中表示：“超过 60 个（乌克兰）部队信赖我们的无人机——它们的主要应用领域是：目标获取和炮火调整、传输作战计划坐标、夜间和在干扰条件下作战，以及对敌方电子战具有很强的抵抗力。”

根据合作协议，Quantum Systems将在德国建立一条全自动生产线，而Frontline Robotics将提供授权生产权和额外支持，包括操作员培训。该项目预计将为在德国的乌克兰人创造就业机会。

这些公司在一份新闻稿中表示，这是乌克兰无人机首次在欧洲进行工业规模生产，并将这种跨国合作生产称为“新的德国模式”。

据该公司声明，乌克兰军队自 2022 年以来一直在使用 Quantum Systems 制造的 Vector 无人机，此后已交付数百台。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。