EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance brings startups and defence groups together to scale unmanned technologies
DefenceTech startups Quantum Systems and Destinus are among the technology companies selected as founding members of the newly established EU–Ukraine Drone Alliance, a European Commission-backed initiative designed to accelerate cooperation on drone and counter-drone technologies.
The pair are the startup highlights among the nine European founding members, which also include Croatian drone technology startup ORQA, French drone company Delair and defence technology company RSI Europe. They will sit alongside larger industrial groups Indra Group, Fincantieri, WB Electronics/WB Group and TERMA A/S, as well as nine Ukrainian companies.
Announced during the third EU–Ukraine Defence Industry Forum in Kyiv, the Alliance brings together manufacturers, technology companies, startups, research organisations and military end users from the European Union, EEA-EFTA countries and Ukraine.
Its founding members will form the initiative’s first board and help determine its strategic direction, priorities and governance.
Quantum steps up
Founded in 2015 and based near Munich, Quantum Systems develops and manufactures interoperable unmanned systems combining hardware, modular software and artificial intelligence. The company’s technology is designed to support autonomous operations across aerial, ground and maritime environments.
Its MOSAIC UXS software backbone connects unmanned systems, sensors, counter-drone solutions, drone ports and partner technologies within one interoperable ecosystem. As part of the Alliance, Quantum Systems is expected to help translate operational lessons from Ukraine into scalable industrial capabilities and future European defence technologies.
“This Alliance validates a model we have been building for years,” says Matthias Lehna, Vice President Business Development at Quantum Systems and Managing Director of Quantum Frontline Industries. “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 operated in Ukraine since 2022, where it has expanded its manufacturing capacity, integrated Ukrainian suppliers and software expertise, and developed further industrial partnerships. Through Quantum Frontline Industries, it also co-founded a European–Ukrainian joint venture under the “Build with Ukraine” defence industry cooperation framework.
Destinus, another prominent member of Europe’s DefenceTech ecosystem, has also been chosen as one of the founding companies. It joins Quantum Systems, ORQA, Delair and RSI Europe in giving the Alliance a strong technology-driven component alongside established defence and industrial businesses.
Croatia-based ORQA develops technology for first-person-view drone operations, while France’s Delair produces fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles for defence and industrial applications.
Together, the selected businesses reflect the range of technologies involved in building a broader European drone ecosystem, from aircraft and autonomous systems to communications, sensors and counter-drone capabilities.
What is bubbling under Europe?
The EU–Ukraine Drone Alliance is being established amid a wider movement of private and institutional capital into European unmanned systems, counter-drone technology and defence autonomy.
EU-Startups’ 2026 coverage includes approximately €1.08 billion in disclosed financings across relevant companies, although this figure is dominated by German Alliance member Quantum Systems’ €1 billion Series D.
Other rounds have backed autonomy software, drone-operations platforms, aerial intelligence, precision guidance and counter-UAS systems, including Six Robotics, Kelluu, AirHub, Occam Industries, PDKINEMATICS and Frankenburg Technologies.
Of note here is that Destinus, one the startups in the Alliance, raised €50 million in late 2025 and just this month announced their lead in a consortium to develop an anti-missile defence system for Europe.
Capital formation is also taking place at fund level, including the €500 million E2D growth vehicle, DTCP Defence’s €500 million defence and resilience fund and Varangians’ approximately €9.1 million Ukraine-focused DefenceTech fund.
Europe meets Ukraine
The nine Ukrainian founding members are Skyfall Industries, Greentech Harvest, Tencore, Deviro, Vyriy Industry, Scientific Production Company “ATHLON AVIA”, TEHAVTOFART PIVDEN, also known as TAF Industries, UFORCE and F-Drones.
“It is a great honor for F-Drones to be among the companies that have been given the opportunity to lay the foundation for a new European ecosystem of unmanned technologies. Ukraine is today the undisputed world leader in the combat use of drones and the speed of defence innovations.
“By combining this unique experience with the industrial capabilities of the European Union, we will be able to significantly accelerate the development of new technologies and strengthen the security of all of Europe,” adds F-Drones.
The Alliance forms part of the wider EU–Ukraine Drone Deal, which aims to combine Ukraine’s experience in developing and deploying drone technologies with Europe’s industrial capacity, investment resources and manufacturing scale. The framework will focus on joint ventures between Ukrainian and European companies, technology transfers, research, production and the faster deployment of operational systems.
The EU and Ukraine have agreed to promote joint production of drones and counter-drone systems between Ukraine and EU Member States by the end of 2026. Cooperation is also expected to expand into the joint production of anti-ballistic missiles by 2028.
Alongside launching the Drone Deal, the European Commission disbursed a further €1 billion to support Ukrainian drone procurement under the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan. It has also approved a €10 billion disbursement plan covering additional drones, missiles and fighter aircraft.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Our defence industrial partnership integrates Ukraine‘s defence economy the same way we integrate our markets: By removing barriers and aligning our standards as quickly as possible – from defence procurement to the protection of intellectual property. Allowing for a closer cooperation of our defence industries and joint ventures. Together, we are harnessing our shared industrial strength for our common security.”
What comes next
The first meeting of the Alliance’s 18 founding members is scheduled to take place in Brussels in September. The companies will use the meeting to establish strategic priorities, identify areas for technological cooperation and begin shaping future joint projects between Ukraine and European countries.
For Quantum Systems, Destinus and the other selected European technology companies, membership provides an opportunity to influence how Europe builds its future drone and counter-drone capacity.
It also places startups and newer defence technology businesses at the same table as major industrial groups and Ukrainian manufacturers with direct operational experience.
