Why These 2 European Startups Are Joining a New Drone Alliance With Ukraine

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-17

A new European Commission-backed initiative called the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance just launched, and it's bringing together some of the most promising defence technology startups with big industrial players. The goal is simple: speed up cooperation on drone and counter-drone tech, and scale unmanned systems faster than ever before. Two startups stand out in the founding lineup: Quantum Systems and Destinus. They're joining a group of nine European founding members that also includes Croatian drone startup ORQA, French drone company Delair, and defence tech firm RSI Europe. On the industrial side, you've got heavyweights like Indra Group, Fincantieri, WB Electronics/WB Group, and TERMA A/S. Nine Ukrainian companies round out the list. The alliance was announced during the third EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum in Kyiv. It's designed to bring together manufacturers, tech companies, startups, research organizations, and military end users from the EU, EEA-EFTA countries, and Ukraine. The founding members will form the first board and help shape the strategic direction, priorities, and governance. ### Quantum Systems: From Munich to the Frontlines Founded in 2015 and based near Munich, Quantum Systems builds interoperable unmanned systems that combine hardware, modular software, and AI. Their tech works across aerial, ground, and maritime environments. The real star is their MOSAIC UXS software backbone, which connects unmanned systems, sensors, counter-drone solutions, drone ports, and partner technologies into one ecosystem. As part of the alliance, Quantum Systems is expected to help turn operational lessons from Ukraine into scalable industrial capabilities for future European defence technologies. Matthias Lehna, Vice President Business Development at Quantum Systems and Managing Director of Quantum Frontline Industries, puts it this way: "This Alliance validates a model we have been building for years. We manufacture with Ukraine, not just for Ukraine. Together, Europe's industrial strength and Ukraine's battlefield innovation enable us to deliver capabilities at the speed of modern warfare while strengthening European sovereignty." Quantum Systems has been operating in Ukraine since 2022. They've expanded manufacturing capacity, integrated Ukrainian suppliers and software expertise, and built more industrial partnerships. Through Quantum Frontline Industries, they co-founded a European-Ukrainian joint venture under the "Build with Ukraine" defence industry framework. ### Destinus and the Startups Driving the Alliance Destinus, another big name in Europe's DefenceTech scene, is also a founding member. It joins Quantum Systems, ORQA, Delair, and RSI Europe to give the alliance a strong tech-driven component alongside the established defence and industrial businesses. ORQA, based in Croatia, focuses on first-person-view drone operations. France's Delair makes fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles for defence and industrial use. Together, these companies cover the full range of technologies needed to build a broader European drone ecosystem: aircraft, autonomous systems, communications, sensors, and counter-drone capabilities. The alliance comes at a time when private and institutional capital is flooding into European unmanned systems, counter-drone tech, and defence autonomy. ### The Money Behind the Movement EU-Startups' 2026 coverage shows roughly $1.2 billion in disclosed financings across relevant companies. That's about 1.08 billion euros. But that number is heavily influenced by Quantum Systems' $1.1 billion Series D (around 1 billion euros). Other rounds have backed a range of companies working on autonomy software, drone-operations platforms, aerial intelligence, precision guidance, and counter-UAS systems. Think Six Robotics, Kelluu, AirHub, Occam Industries, PDKINEMATICS, and Frankenburg Technologies. Notably, Destinus raised about $55 million (50 million euros) in its latest round. ### What This Means for European Defence Tech This alliance isn't just another industry group. It's a signal that Europe is getting serious about building its own drone ecosystem. By combining battlefield experience from Ukraine with industrial manufacturing muscle, these companies aim to create capabilities that can keep pace with modern warfare. For startups, being part of this alliance means access to real-world testing, government contracts, and partnerships with some of the biggest names in defence. For investors, it's a clear sign that European defence tech is becoming a priority. The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance is still in its early days, but the founding members are already shaping its direction. If you're watching the defence tech space, this is one to keep an eye on.