Shield AI, founded in 2015, is a defense technology company that develops AI pilots and autonomous aircraft for military applications. Their core product, Hivemind, is an AI-powered autonomy software suite designed for integration into unmanned aerial systems, enabling autonomous flight operations even in GPS-denied environments. They partner with organizations like Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and L3Harris to advance AI-powered autonomy in air combat and electronic warfare.
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The collaboration between L3Harris and Shield AI aims to combine autonomy and sensing technologies to address urgent operational needs.
The commercial collaboration between Kratos and Shield AI is intended to provide a rapid path to system realization to support the U.S. Department of Defense.
Shield AI provides a ruggedized mobile ground control station (GCS) tailored for managing large teams of V-BAT aircraft and delivering timely mission data to commanders.
Shield AI plans to deploy V-BAT teaming capabilities in GPS- and communications-denied environments in the next year.
Ryan Tseng noted that Shield AI and AFWERX decided from the start to field the autonomy capability within the Department of Defense (DoD).
Shield AI showcased its Hivemind AI pilot by launching a team of three V-BATs to monitor and surveil simulated wildfires.
Shield AI’s products and personnel are currently supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.
Col. Tom Meagher, Prime Division Chief at AFWERX, highlighted the importance of autonomous capabilities for future DoD programs of record as the driver for the Shield AI – AFWERX effort.
Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President and Co-founder, emphasized that the recent milestone gets closer to achieving the reality of autonomous capabilities that can operate when GPS and comms are denied or degraded.
Shield AI is developing an AI pilot named Hivemind, which has flown an F-16 fighter jet, a V-BAT drone, and a Nova quadcopter.
Ryan Tseng, CEO and Co-founder of Shield AI, stated that autonomy on V-BAT directly supports efforts on uncrewed jet aircraft and that this capability will be fielded next year.
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
Shield AI completed an autonomous teaming demo featuring three V-BAT Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) as the final milestone of an AFWERX autonomy effort under their Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) program.
Shield AI has developed a combat-deployed AI pilot that has flown on a quadcopter platform.
Shield AI’s combat-deployed AI pilot has flown on a modified F-16 fighter jet.
Kratos and Shield AI signed an agreement to integrate and bring to market an AI pilot built by Shield AI for Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie unmanned combat aerial vehicle.
Shield AI has offices in San Diego, Dallas, and Washington, D.C., and also operates abroad.
Shield AI created Hivemind, an AI pilot designed to fly a variety of aircraft.
Shield AI has operationalized advanced aircraft autonomy on the battlefield.
Shield AI recently announced its acquisition of Heron Systems, winner of the DARPA AlphaDogfight Trials, to enhance Hivemind applications for Group 5 aircraft.