Quantum Systems says Bundeswehr drones flying again after cyberattack
On November 13, 2026, Quantum Systems announced that its drones operated by the Bundeswehr are flying again, after the German armed forces grounded them as a precaution following a cyberattack on the manufacturer.
“The fleet is operating normally around the globe, including Germany and the Bundeswehr,” a company spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement. “The Bundeswehr was the only customer to ground their systems as a precaution.”
Quantum Systems did not specify when the grounding began or ended, or how many drones were affected. The German military has not independently confirmed that flights have resumed. According to the Financial Times, the grounding prevented Quantum Systems from participating in a recent military exercise.
Cyberattack reportedly targeted Quantum Systems software updates
In a statement published on November 12, 2026, Quantum Systems said that it had identified a cybersecurity incident at the end of October. An immediate internal investigation revealed “an active cyberattack by hostile actors,” the company claimed.
According to the German magazine Der Spiegel, the attackers placed a malicious file on a server used to distribute updates for QBase, Quantum Systems’ ground-control and mission-planning software. The company did not disclose these technical details in its public statement and nor did it identify the attackers.
Quantum Systems stressed that its IT and security teams contained the threat in cooperation with the authorities. It reported the incident to the relevant agencies, and an investigation remains underway with state authorities plus internal and external cybersecurity experts.
The manufacturer maintained that the measures taken, together with the nature of the incident, meant that operating its unmanned systems posed no risk to end users or operators. However, the company has not publicly released an independent technical assessment supporting this conclusion.
Bundeswehr operates Quantum Systems Vector reconnaissance drones
The Bundeswehr operates Quantum Systems’ Vector reconnaissance drone, procured through the FALKE program. In September 2023, the manufacturer signed a framework agreement with Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), with deliveries of an initial 14 systems scheduled to begin in late 2024.
The Gilching-based manufacturer has also worked with the German armed forces on other projects, including the Bundeswehr’s KITU 2 study, in which Vector and Scorpion drones conducted AI-coordinated swarm missions alongside Airbus aircraft.
Quantum Systems has since expanded its defense portfolio. At ILA Berlin in June 2026, it unveiled the PULSE P19 turboprop aircraft for counter-drone missions. On November 5, 2026, the NATO Communications and Information Agency named the manufacturer among five suppliers selected for NATO’s new counter-drone marketplace.
The company is also a major supplier to Ukraine. On October 4, 2026, Quantum Systems announced that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had pledged financing for several tens of thousands of SPYS interceptor drones. The aircraft are produced in Ukraine by Quantum WIY Industries, its joint venture with Ukrainian manufacturer WIY Drones, and are intended to counter Russian attack drones, including newer jet-powered models.
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On November 13, 2026, Quantum Systems announced that its drones operated by the Bundeswehr are flying again, after…
The post Quantum Systems says Bundeswehr drones flying again after cyberattack appeared first on AeroTime.
