Shield AI has put its V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone to the test in the Arctic, pushing the aircraft through freezing temperatures and rough maritime weather without requiring any modifications.
During NATO’s HEIMDALL 26 exercise in Norway, the drone carried out multiple VTOL missions from the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel KV Olav Tryggvason, as well as from land-based sites.
The flights also placed the aircraft inside a NATO-aligned multi-domain network, where it functioned as an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) node.
The V-BAT conducted day-and-night sorties using various sensor payloads, including electro-optical and infrared systems and synthetic aperture radar for gathering intelligence.
Information collected during the missions was transmitted across multiple frequency bands to forces operating at sea and on land, feeding directly into command-and-control systems to improve situational awareness.
“We launched from land and from smaller vessels, operated in harsh weather, and conducted surveillance across both maritime and land domains,” said Brandon Tseng, president and co-founder of Shield AI.
“From the Caribbean to the high Arctic, V-BAT provides a dependable capability to support maritime and amphibious missions.”
Unfolding V-BAT
The V-BAT is a NATO Class I VTOL drone measuring 9.6 feet (2.93 meters) and has a wingspan of 12.5 feet (3.81 meters).
Powered by a heavy-fuel engine, it delivers over 12 hours of endurance and supports up to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of payload.
The drone can operate at altitudes of up to 18,000 feet (5,486 meters) while needing only a 15-foot (4.6-meter) landing zone, making it ideal for tight launch sites.
In terms of mission systems, V-BAT is equipped with Shield AI’s Hivemind Pilot software and a synthetic aperture radar, providing autonomous flight and all-weather surveillance capabilities.
