Munich-based startup Quantum Systems, developer and manufacturer of intelligent aerial reconnaissance systems, is forming a strategic partnership with Planet Labs, a global leader in Earth observation satellites. The goal of the cooperation is to combine data from orbit and from the air into a comprehensive information system, thereby enabling faster situational awareness and decision-making processes, particularly in the military sector.
Detailed reconnaissance thanks to satellite imagery and drone deployment
The partnership combines Planet Labs’ orbital perspective with Quantum Systems’s drone reconnaissance and MOSAIC UXS mission software. This enables the companies to provide continuous and large-scale detection of changes.
Florian Seibel, co-founder and co-CEO of Quantum Systems, says:
“Our collaboration with Planet is designed to provide our operators with real-time maps from orbit. By integrating Earth observation data into our MOSAIC UXS mission software, the space and ISR domains are growing together. This allows operators to plan missions more precisely, make decisions faster, and increase the safety of their operations.”
Together, both partners are creating a new standard for so-called “Tip & Cue” operations: satellites identify changes on Earth, drones then examine these points in detail. This gives operational forces a complete, dynamic situational picture from orbit to the operational level.
Planet Labs enables automated change detection over large areas using its high-resolution satellite imagery. Once a new area of interest is identified, the system provides a digital tip. Quantum Systems’s MOSAIC software can then trigger the targeted deployment of an unmanned vehicle (“cue”) that examines the situation in detail using multisensor drones. This combination is designed to increase the precision of operations, use resources more efficiently, and significantly reduce the workload of analysts.
European technology for security and sovereignty
Charlie Candy, Chief Revenue Officer at Planet Labs, comments:
“Both Planet Labs and Quantum Systems have already significantly supported Ukraine’s defense efforts. Through this partnership, we can maximize impact and help ensure that other European nations have access to the most efficient tools to secure peace and stability throughout the region.”
With this cooperation, Quantum Systems and Planet Labs are sending a clear signal for Europe’s technological independence. Both companies want to make the European defense and security sector fit for the future through AI-powered data analysis, automated processes, and cross-domain networking.
Seibel sums up:
“This partnership underscores how our complementary technologies reinforce each other – and reflects our shared commitment to European security and technological sovereignty.”
