Insider Brief
- STV Group and Post-Quantum have successfully tested quantum-resilient drones designed to secure communications against future quantum threats.
- The system integrates post-quantum cryptography, including Classic McEliece, into drone communications for use in contested operational environments.
- The companies plan phased deployment across defence programs, with applications extending to multiple unmanned platforms beyond aerial systems
PRESS RELEASE — STV Group, an European defence technology integrator with platforms deployed in Ukraine and allied theatres, and Post-Quantum, the UK cybersecurity company today announced successful testing of the world’s first quantum-safe drones for active deployment across allied theatres.
As allied nations adapt to war-fighting defined by autonomous systems and drones, the ability to future-proof secure communications between drones and their operators is of paramount importance.
Drone swarms procured today may be stored and deployed in future operations years later. This dynamic requires drones manufactured today incorporate encryption that’s resistant to attack by both classical and quantum computers.
The collaboration combines STV’s combat-tested unmanned systems and command-and-control infrastructure with Post-Quantum’s patented post-quantum cryptography and secure radio technologies. The two companies have now successfully trialled the new approach at STV’s weapons testing facility in the Czech Republic. This is unique as STV is one of very few companies worldwide which can deploy its drone solutions directly to theatre without further certification.
The partnership introduces two industry firsts:
- A quantum-resilient drone architecture designed for contested operational environments
- The first airborne deployment of Classic McEliece, the longest-studied post-quantum public-key cryptographic algorithm, previously considered infeasible for DDIL (denied, disrupted, intermittent, limited) communications
Securing drone operations for the quantum era
Unmanned systems now play a central role in modern defence operations, supporting Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, precision strike, border security and critical infrastructure monitoring. Drone fleets are increasingly operating in swarms and multi-domain environments, placing greater demands on communications security.
In theatres such as Ukraine and the Middle East, unmanned platforms must operate under conditions that include:
- Jamming, GPS denial and signal interception
- Beyond-line-of-sight missions over degraded communications links
- Large-scale fleet command and control
- Continuous transmission of sensitive ISR data
At the same time, governments recognise that adversaries may already be collecting encrypted communications for decryption once quantum computing becomes viable. With drone platforms expected to remain operational for decades, protecting these systems against future quantum threats is becoming a near-term requirement.
Classic McEliece for operational deployment
Underpinning the new platform is Classic McEliece, the code‑based post‑quantum cryptographic scheme invented by the team at Post-Quantum.
Classic McEliece is based on the original McEliece cryptosystem with the longest unbroken security track record in public‑key cryptography. Designed conservatively and subjected to almost 50 years of cryptanalytic scrutiny without security degradation, it is widely regarded as the most robust option for scenarios where long‑term confidentiality is paramount.
The partnership’s architecture uses Classic McEliece in a targeted, mission‑aligned way by encrypting full‑motion video, imagery and flight metadata for the duration of the mission. This ensures sensitive ISR data remains confidential over the long term against Harvest Now Decrypt Later attacks.
As inventor of the algorithm, Post-Quantum brings specialised expertise in adapting Classic McEliece for hostile operational environments, including secure radio systems and contested electromagnetic conditions.
Post-Quantum, being the pioneer in promoting crypto agility since 2009 and the author of the IETF hybrid quantum-safe VPN protocol, is uniquely positioned to optimise and deliver NCSA 2.0 compliant hybrid PQC performance in the most constrained environments.
JUDr. Pavel Kudrhalt, Chief Executive Officer of STV Group, said:
“STV’s unmanned platforms operate daily in Ukraine, where drone communications are among the most contested in the world. In this environment, communications security is no longer an afterthought – the risk of an adversary intercepting or even seizing control of a drone swarm is simply unacceptable. By integrating Classic McEliece into our operational stack, we are giving our customers the strongest available future‑proof cryptography, engineered for the realities of the battlefield and ready for immediate deployment.”
Rikky Hasan, Chief Executive Officer of Post-Quantum, said:
“Classic McEliece’s large key size has long been considered too large for real world deployments, especially for airborne platforms operating in DDIL environments. We have proven that assumption wrong. Its tiny ciphertexts and ultra‑fast encryption, combined with our experience in government‑grade radio communications and electronic warfare, make it the ideal choice for protecting drone ISR against both classical and quantum attacks. This partnership is about more than cryptography – it is about delivering a complete sovereign unmanned operations system, with quantum‑resilient security built in as standard.”
Deployment Plans
The companies will begin phased integration of the quantum-resilient UAV platform across European and allied defence programmes. Additional field validation will be conducted on systems already operating in active theatres.
The architecture is designed to extend beyond aerial systems, enabling the same quantum-resilient communications layer to support ground, maritime and subsurface unmanned platforms.