Two German autonomous innovators merge right this moment, as Quantum Systems, a developer of AI-powered unmanned methods, introduced the acquisition of FERNRIDE to increase their management place from air and software program intelligence to autonomous floor mobility, making a related, cross-domain providing for clever unmanned methods.
Each Quantum Techniques and FERNRIDE raised funding this 12 months, elevating €180 million and €18 million, respectively.
“FERNRIDE has developed probably the most superior and scalable autonomous floor platforms,” stated Martin Karkour, Chief Income Officer of Quantum Techniques. “By integrating their expertise into MOSAIC UXS, we’re persistently implementing our imaginative and prescient of making a related ecosystem during which unmanned methods assume, transfer and act as a single entity throughout completely different dimensions.”
In 2025, protection reveals continued however uneven funding exercise throughout Europe’s protection, robotics and autonomous methods sector, offering helpful context for right this moment’s acquisition.
London-based Arondite raised €10.5 million to develop AI software program that connects and orchestrates protection methods, specializing in human–machine teaming reasonably than {hardware}. In Spain, Valencia-based Voltrac secured €2 million to deploy autonomous floor autos for agriculture and frontline logistics, illustrating crossover between civilian and defence use circumstances. Warsaw-headquartered Orbotix raised €6.5 million to advance AI-driven autonomous defence methods, together with swarm applied sciences, whereas drone producer Monopulse (working throughout Denmark and Lithuania) acquired €1.12 million to increase NATO-grade UAV manufacturing capability.
Collectively, these disclosed rounds quantity to only over €20 million, underlining how distinctive the size of funding behind Quantum Techniques and FERNRIDE is by comparability.
Germany stands out not solely via these giant capital raises but in addition via broader sector exercise, with Munich-based ARX Robotics unveiling a combat-capable unmanned floor car, signalling sustained momentum in autonomous air-and-ground methods growth throughout the nation.
“Europe urgently wants sovereign autonomy options. By becoming a member of forces with Quantum Techniques, we will take our expertise to a brand new degree,” stated Hendrik Kramer, CEO and co-founder of FERNRIDE. “Along with Quantum Techniques, we’re accelerating the deployment of our platform within the European protection sector, which is at present probably the most pressing surroundings globally for scaling autonomous floor methods. Sooner or later, this expertise can even be transferred again to civilian logistics purposes, making our society safer and extra resilient.”
Based in 2015, Quantum Techniques develops clever unmanned methods. The corporate provides mission-grade ISR, autonomy and built-in mission options to navy, authorities and business prospects.
Their operational expertise in Ukraine has demonstrated the relevance of the interplay between air and floor robotics. The mixing of FERNRIDE options into MOSAIC UXS, Quantum Techniques’ autonomous mission software program, is meant to allow multi-domain operations that enhance situational consciousness and decision-making.
Based in 2019, FERNRIDE provides an industry-proven software program platform for floor autonomy within the areas of container terminals, protection logistics, yard operations and autonomous driving.
In 2025, FERNRIDE grew to become the primary firm to acquire TÜV approval for autonomous vans in Europe – they’ve already used them in preliminary checks with the German Armed Forces and have expanded their portfolio to incorporate protection logistics.
This acquisition comes lower than a month after Quantum Systems tripled its valuation to €3 billion and eight months after their acquisition of drone technology innovator AirRobot – underlining the continued progress and success of the German startup.
