California defense technological company Shield AI unveiled a groundbreaking technology on Monday that allows for the creation of a swarm of drones called V-Bat Teams. The US Department of Defense is expected to utilize this technology as part of programs like Replicator. (Source: Defense News)
The foundation of the V-Bat Teams technology lies in Shield AI’s advanced artificial intelligence system known as Hivemind. These command groups, which consist of multiple V-Bat drones, have been specifically designed to autonomously operate in high-threat environments without the reliance on GPS navigation or explicit instructions.
According to Brandon Tseng, co-founder and president of Shield AI, the V-Bat Teams have immense potential in complementing the Pentagon’s Replicator program. This initiative aims to deploy thousands of autonomous drones within the next two years to counter the rising threat posed by China.
The current V-Bat Teams configuration consists of four unmanned aerial vehicles, but Shield AI plans to double this number annually. Although the Hivemind software is capable of managing a significantly larger fleet of V-Bat drones, the company’s primary challenge lies in the logistical coordination involved in simultaneously launching multiple drones.
Shield AI has ambitious plans to offer V-Bat Teams to all branches of the US military, as well as to international customers. Tseng envisions this technology ushering in a new operational paradigm where a multitude of autonomous aircraft can function independently. “This will open a new paradigm of operations when you have so many aircraft that can act autonomously,” stated Tseng.
However, Tseng acknowledged that, at present, he does not see a role for V-Bat Teams within the Air Force’s plan to develop a fleet of cooperative combat drones that would operate alongside manned fighters like the F-35.