Ukraine Testing German Vector UAV With Acoustic Artillery Detector

Another high-tech solution now in Ukraine's hands.

Quantum Systems

Germany’s Quantum Systems, a drone manufacturer backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, is taking counter-battery warfare to the next level, and Ukraine is first in line to reap the benefits.

The company’s latest innovation—an acoustic artillery detector—is set to enter production by summer 2025, adding yet another complication for Russian artillery crews who already seem to struggle with basic competence on the battlefield.

In a press release on Friday, Quantum announced its plans to double drone production throughout 2025.

An Unconventional Approach to Artillery Detection

The German drone manufacturer, which opened a production facility in Ukraine in 2024, has developed a unique way to pinpoint enemy fire.

Instead of relying solely on visual or thermal sensors, Quantum Systems has fitted its Vector UAV with what is, essentially, a high-tech microphone. This device can detect the direction of artillery and mortar fire from up to 15 kilometers away, boasting an accuracy of five degrees per five kilometers—plenty precise enough for Ukrainian forces to follow up with something explosive.

Traditional acoustic artillery detection works by using a network of microphones strategically placed across an area to pick up the sound of an artillery shell firing, then calculating the source of the sound by measuring the difference in arrival time of the sound wave at each microphone, essentially "triangulating" the location of the artillery piece by determining the direction the sound came from; this method is often referred to as "sound ranging."

Sound ranging itself has some pros and cons, but it’s worth remembering that the Vector UAV attenuates many of the disadvantages below: