German defense company Quantum Systems is upgrading its Reliant long-range reconnaissance drone for use as a carrier for smaller drones. The company hinted at this possibility during its presentation at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition, held in the U.S. from October 13 to 15.
In addition to Quantum Systems' reconnaissance drones, the display included the Archer FPV drone from the U.S. company Neros, presented with a note indicating it can be launched from Reliant platforms. The drone includes mounts that allow it to carry two smaller drones, according to Hartpunkt.
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Quantum Systems has announced that, at present, the service to add extra mounts to the Reliant drone for carrying additional drones will be offered exclusively in the U.S. market. However, the company does not rule out the possibility of offering this option to European buyers as well. The reasons for this decision are still unknown.
The Reliant reconnaissance drone is a relatively new development from Quantum Systems, which also supplies its products to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and has opened a drone manufacturing plant in Ukraine.
Reliant was first unveiled in spring 2024 at U.S. Special Operations Forces Week. It is a vertical take-off and landing drone designed for reconnaissance missions.'
The manufacturer highlights the UAV's long flight time, which exceeds 10 hours. The drone has a special compartment for payloads, where various additional sensors can be installed. The range is stated to be over 160 km.
This is Quantum Systems' second mothership. The first was unveiled several months ago. In August, the company announced that it is developing a 200 km FPV drone carrier for Ukraine, called Sparta, which is already undergoing testing and is expected to enter production by the end of the year.
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