V-BAT Teams (Hivemind)
Autonomous swarm
V-BAT Teams (Hivemind) is an autonomous swarm system developed by Shield AI, integrating the V-BAT VTOL UAV with advanced AI to enable coordinated multi-aircraft missions, particularly in GPS- and communications-denied environments.
Mission Profile
The V-BAT Teams system is designed to operate as a cohesive, intelligent swarm, executing complex missions without continuous human control or reliance on external navigation and communication signals. Its primary role is to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), target acquisition, and potentially other mission sets in highly contested environments where traditional networked assets are vulnerable to electronic warfare or anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategies. The "Hivemind" AI allows individual V-BAT aircraft to make decentralized decisions, adapt to dynamic battlefield conditions, and maintain mission objectives even if individual units are lost or communications are jammed. This capability enables forces to gain and maintain situational awareness and operational advantage in environments where adversaries seek to disrupt or deny information flow. The V-BAT's inherent Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capability allows for flexible deployment and recovery from austere locations, including naval vessels or forward operating bases, without the need for runways or launch/recovery equipment. This operational flexibility, combined with the autonomous swarm intelligence, positions V-BAT Teams as a critical asset for future conflict scenarios requiring resilient, adaptable, and distributed airpower.
Key Features
- ▸Autonomous swarm intelligence (Hivemind AI)
- ▸Operation in GPS-denied environments
- ▸Operation in communications-denied environments
- ▸Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capability
- ▸Decentralized decision-making and collaborative mission execution
- ▸Modular payload capability for various mission sets
- ▸Rapid deployment and recovery from austere locations
Specifications
- ceiling
- 12,000 ft (3,658 m)
- configuration
- Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) tail-sitter with ducted fan
- endurance
- 11+ hours
- mtow
- 125 lbs (56.7 kg)
- payload
- 25 lbs (11.3 kg)
- propulsion
- Single internal combustion engine
- range
- 350+ nautical miles (648+ km)
- speed
- 90+ knots (167+ km/h) cruise, 45-90 knots loiter
Notable Operators
Comparable Platforms
About the Manufacturer
Shield AI's mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent autonomous systems. The company makes the V-BAT Group 3 VTOL UAS and Hivemind autonomy software that enables manned and unmanned aircraft to fly missions in GPS- and comms-denied environments.