U.S. Army picks Quantum-Systems' Vector AI in $15.3 million company-level drone award
The U.S. Army has selected Quantum-Systems' Vector AI small uncrewed aircraft system for its Company-Level sUAS Directed Requirement 2 effort under a contract worth $15.3 million.
The award is part of the Army's push to quickly field commercially available drones to Brigade Combat Teams while shaping its future Medium Range Reconnaissance program. That program is expected to define the next generation of tactical uncrewed aircraft for maneuver units. The Army said the selection followed a competitive evaluation of aircraft performance, payload integration, and interoperability with emerging software architectures. The move underscores a broader procurement approach that favors operationally proven systems that can deliver immediate capability and still adapt to later requirements.
Vector AI is an electric vertical take-off and landing platform that combines runway-independent launch and recovery with the endurance of fixed-wing flight. The system can be deployed by a single operator in under five minutes and is intended for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition missions. It uses AI-enabled mission planning, electro-optical sensing, and vision-based targeting to support units operating at the tactical edge. Quantum-Systems said the platform logged more than 20,000 operational flight hours in Ukraine during 2025, experience the company says helped refine the aircraft's autonomy and mission flexibility in contested environments.
The drone is designed to keep operating under electronic warfare pressure. It includes anti-jamming features and a layered navigation stack intended to support visual navigation and precision targeting without relying on GPS. Its modular open architecture also allows rapid payload integration and links with systems including TAK, Lattice, and other battlefield management tools. For the Army, that matters beyond this contract. The program will not only add another company-level reconnaissance asset, but also help inform what the service wants from its future medium-range tactical drone fleet.