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German drone manufacturer to open R&D center in Ukraine

by Elsa Court and The Kyiv Independent news desk December 14, 2023 10:18 PM 1 min read

A "Vector" drone from Quantum Systems on display in Nuremberg, Germany, March 1, 2022. (Nicolas Armer/dpa via Getty Images)

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German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems will open a research and development (R&D) center in Ukraine, tech news outlet DOU reported on Dec. 14.

Quantum Systems is the company behind advanced Vector reconnaissance drones, 152 of which have been provided to Ukraine by the German government.

The Digital Transformation Ministry announced on Dec. 8 that the company planned to establish drone production facilities in Ukraine and had joined the Diia City portal, a special "economic zone" for taxation, legislation, and employment benefits tailored for local and foreign tech firms.

The center will start with producing spare parts for drones, followed by assembling complete drones within a few years, Country Chief Operational Officer Olexandr Berezhny told DOU.

"The Ukrainian R&D unit will grow, it will combine software and hardware engineering," Berezhny said. The company will be looking to hire Ukrainian specialists.

The company opened a Service, Support, Training, and Logistics Center in Ukraine in the spring of 2023, where Ukrainians are trained to operate Vector drones.

Quantum Systems provided the city of Kyiv with 100 tactical drones to pass along to the front line, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Sept. 16.

Klitschko said the agreement was reached with an investor and Quantum Systems' leadership at the annual Stern Stewart Institute summit in Germany.

Authors: Elsa Court, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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