Quantum Systems co-founder Florian Seibel announced on 10/8 that "acoustic sensors are now present on the front lines in Ukraine. The Vector AI can now determine the direction and distance to firing artillery positions, while also increasing flight time to 4 hours".
An accompanying photo from Seibel shows the new version of the Vector AI reconnaissance drone with a black acoustic sensor cluster on its nose. The company says the 150g device can detect the direction of artillery fire within a 15 km radius and small arms fire within 2.5 km. The margin of error for targets at a distance of 5 km is about 5 degrees.
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The Vector AI version equipped with acoustic sensors (circled) in a photo posted on 10/8. Photo: LinkedIn/Florian Seibel |
The Vector AI version equipped with acoustic sensors (circled) in a photo posted on 10/8. Photo: LinkedIn/Florian Seibel
AI technology integrated into the drone processes the collected information. The sensor helps drone operators estimate the location of enemy artillery and pinpoint it with the onboard camera, enabling faster target acquisition.
Oleksandr Berezhny, a representative of Quantum Systems, confirmed this sensor is a mass-produced version being tested on training grounds and in combat missions in Ukraine to further refine the software. Results of these tests and real-world use of the Vector AI have not been released.
German media previously reported the company was developing a feature allowing the drone to automatically turn its camera towards firing artillery without operator intervention. However, it’s unclear if this feature is included on the drones delivered to Ukraine.
The Vector AI drone has a 2.8 m wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 8.5 kg, a control range of over 35 km, and a flight range of 180 km, with a cruising speed of 60 km/h. The drone can take off and land in confined spaces and transmits real-time images to the ground control station via an encrypted data link, reducing the risk of enemy interference.
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The Vector UAV in a photo posted in April. Photo: WSJ |
The Vector UAV in a photo posted in April. Photo: WSJ
The Vector AI's quiet operation makes it suitable for covert reconnaissance. It is equipped with an Nvidia Jetson Orin embedded computer, enabling automatic target detection, classification, and tracking using computer vision algorithms. The AI system also allows the drone to operate in GPS-denied environments.
Pham Giang (According to Defense Express, Militarnyi, Defense Mirror)
