Shield AI, the defense technology company building the world’s best AI pilot for aircraft announced the official launch of its V-BAT Teams product. V-BAT Teams enables multiple V-BATs to autonomously execute missions in electronically contested environments while reading and reacting to adversaries, the environment, and the other V-BATs executing the mission. It comes in the form of a modular Nvidia GPU upgrade running Hivemind, Shield AI’s AI pilot, which is loaded into the modular payload bay of the V-BAT. V-BAT Teams enables warfighters to have 24/7 comprehensive coverage over large geographic regions to find, fix, and target thousands of enemy assets in operational, electronically contested areas at an affordable price.

“Intelligent, swarming aircraft are the key to air dominance and more importantly, to deterrence. Our nation is faced with the difficult reality that our pilots are too few and the rules-based autonomy solutions are too dumb for such swarms to exist. Shield AI changes this. For almost nine years, Shield AI has focused on building the world’s best AI pilot from a common AI backbone that is relevant and deployable to any aircraft – from quadcopters to F-16s. The technology is ready when we need it most. I’m pleased to announce that intelligent teams of V-BATs, powered by Hivemind, can be purchased today and will be on the battlefield in 2024,” said Ryan Tseng, Shield AI’s CEO and co-founder.

“V-BAT Teams is the first step in intelligent, affordable mass not as a concept, but as an operational product. We’re starting with a team size of four V-BATs, but that number will double annually for the foreseeable future. Four V-BATs that work together in electronic warfare environments and as part of a human-machine team are an incredible force multiplier,” commented Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s co-founder, President, and former Navy SEAL. “Ultimately, V-BAT Teams – as the team size increases – give squads the combat power of a battalion, or battalions the combat power of a corps or division.”

Powered by Shield AI’s Hivemind AI pilot, V-BAT Teams operate autonomously in high-threat environments without the dependence on GPS or communications. Scalability: Starting with smaller formations in 2023, V-BAT Teams can scale to support hundreds and even thousands of aircraft in future deployments. Streamlined System Updates: V-BAT Teams receives quarterly software updates and biennial autonomy compute payload releases. Quick Installation: The V-BAT Teams payload facilitates rapid AI pilot installations on V-BATs. Enhanced Control Systems: The GCS ruggedized mobile control station, tailored for managing large teams of aircraft, streamlines operations and ensures that commanders have timely and pertinent mission data.

Shield AI is now accepting orders for V-BAT Teams, with deliveries occurring in 2024. As defense technology continues to evolve, V-BAT Teams are positioned at the forefront, ushering in a new era of aerial autonomy in military operations. Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown a fighter jet (F-16), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (V-BAT), and a quadcopter (Nova). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and abroad. Shield AI’s products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies.