The key facts
- The Apex Recordhunter drone by Quantum Systems reached a speed of 777 km/h — 78 km/h above the June result (699 km/h).
- The result was confirmed by GPS and an onboard flight recorder, but an official record requires a flight in the opposite direction.
- The company previously supplied Ukraine with devices for intercepting Shahed drones; the status of the Apex Recordhunter in this regard is not disclosed.
New speed record
According to DW, citing the company's LinkedIn page, German Quantum Systems has tested the ultra-fast Apex Recordhunter drone, which reached a speed of 777 km/h — according to the company, it crosses a football field in half a second. Several media outlets noted the result on October 22. In June, the company had already reported that this drone achieved a speed of 699 km/h; the new figure is 78 km/h higher.
Confirmation and record status
According to Quantum Systems, independent experts observed the test, and the recorded speed was confirmed by GPS data and onboard flight recorder records. Nevertheless, the result is not yet considered an official record: for that, the Apex Recordhunter must fly in the opposite direction. The second test is needed to rule out possible wind influence on the speed. The company stated it will conduct such a flight in the near future.
Technical details
According to the June report, the experimental vehicle is equipped with a V4Smart battery — a division of the carmaker Porsche. How far the drone can fly on a single charge has not yet been disclosed. High speed is important for interceptor drones, which need to catch up with a target in the air.
About the company
Quantum Systems was founded in 2015, with headquarters in Gilching (Bavaria). One of its founders is Florian Seibel, a former officer and military pilot of the German armed forces. Initially, the company specialized in drones for agriculture. According to DW, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it strengthened its military direction and began supplying Kyiv with devices designed to intercept Russian Shahed drones, and also established drone production in Ukraine. At the same time, the report did not specify whether the Apex Recordhunter itself is supplied to Ukraine or used in combat missions: the vehicle is experimental.
