Apparently, German military intelligence drones Vector left a positive impression on the Ukrainian Army – that is why they have recently placed a new order for additional 105 units of these UAVs. The first order of 33 units was completed in August 2022.
AI-enabled Vector reconnaissance drones are manufactured by the German company Quantum-Systems GmbH. The company representatives already confirmed in a press release that the entire batch will be delivered to Ukraine. The purchase of these machines will be funded by the German government.
“Quantum-Systems GmbH will deliver 105 additional long-endurance reconnaissance drones type Vector™ in military support of Ukraine’s armed forces, funded by the German Government,” the company said in the announcement.
Additionally, Quantum-Systems also announced it will be opening the training and support facility in Ukraine in order to provide the necessary training for the future operators of their UAV systems. This will also greatly simplify the processes of logistics and technical maintenance.
Vector drones recently received a software update allowing them to operate in scenarios where they do not have access to the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), which includes GPS and Galileo satellite networks.
Vector UAV uses a fixed-wing design and is capable of electrically-assisted vertical take off and landing (eVTOL). In order to launch it, no additional equipment is required.
The drone weighs 7.4 kg (16.3 lbs), has a wingspan of 2.8 meters, and reaches the flight speed of up to 72 km/h (45 mph). It is resistant to winds with speeds of up to 12 m/s. The maximum flight time is 120 minutes (depending on the carried payload). Vector can achieve maximum flight ranges of up to 15 km (9.3 miles), with the possibility to increase control range up to 25 km (15.5 miles). The distance at which these UAVs can be operated apparently is limited by the capabilities of the radio link.
Vector also has night vision equipment, uses encrypted data links, and its software also uses AI-based algorithms for automatic object detection, identification, and tracking.