German autonomous drones unicorn Quantum Systems has launched a new unmanned systems operating system which will enable users to integrate and control flocks of third-party drones, dubbed Mosaic.
The move into software comes as rivals like fellow German unicorn Helsing move the opposite direction: from only building software to producing strike drones late last year.
The new system will connect Quantum Systems’ drones with other unmanned systems, regardless of their manufacturer or domain, Martin Karkour, head of sales at Quantum Systems, tells Sifted. It will enable users to control unmanned systems across different manufacturers' platforms with a single interface, he said, sharing intelligence and coordinating ground assets.
The move comes shortly after Quantum Systems hit unicorn status, being valued at over $1bn following a €160m Series C round led by British VC Balderton Capital in May. The startup is also feeling the pressure from the likes of Helsing, which was valued at around €5bn last summer. For Quantum, software was “a logical next step now”, cofounder and co-CEO Florian Seibel told Sifted last month.
But Karkour argues it’s not a pivot for the startup: "It's not a shift really – it's the consequent evolution driven by customer needs, expertise and experience.”
“We've deployed thousands of systems globally and recognised that current drone operations create significant resource constraints. The coordination of multiple unmanned systems across domains — air, land, sea — has become a key capability of modern warfare.” He believes the “timing for Mosaic UXS is right because AI and computing power can finally deliver the capabilities and the integrated experience our customers have been requesting.”
As a result of the new software focus, the startup is hiring roles in software, AI and drone capabilities like swarming.
“The challenge has evolved,” added Karkour. “It's no longer just about better individual systems, but making all systems work together intelligently.”
