Quantum Systems unveils autonomous maritime drone systems

German company Quantum Systems has unveiled its first maritime autonomous systems, the Seavex and Subvex, designed for surface and underwater operations. The presentation took place in Sesimbra, Portugal, during an exercise organized by the Portuguese Navy, NATO, and the European Defence Agency.

Florian Seibel, co-CEO and co-founder of Quantum Systems, noted that the security landscape in Europe is shifting. He highlighted that Russia’s shadow fleet is operating in European waters and that critical maritime infrastructure has become a target. Seibel emphasized that the Black Sea conflict has demonstrated how unmanned systems can drastically transform maritime operations, allowing smaller forces to create significant operational challenges for much larger navies.

The new systems aim to address the challenge of scale in maritime surveillance. Seibel pointed out that traditional assets, such as frigates and patrol aircraft, have limited range and cannot monitor vast areas simultaneously, creating gaps that adversaries can exploit.