Shield AI, building the world’s best AI pilot, was awarded $198 million by the U.S. Coast Guard to implement the V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS).
The V-BAT series aircraft is the only operationally deployed single-engine ducted fan vertical takeoff and land (VTOL) UAS that can launch and recover from a hover and fly on wing in horizontal flight. With more than five years of persistent operational experience at sea, U.S. and international customers view the V-BAT as a flexible platform capable of performing Group 2 to Group 5 UAS missions and beyond.
Ducted-fan technology enables industry leading max-takeoff weight to payload weight ratio. V-BAT’s duct increases thrust by 80%+ at equivalent engine power, enabling take-off and landing with a single power plant and achieving unmatched payload mass fraction. It can fly for a half day or stop and hover for hours on end.
Thrust vectoring bestows V-BAT with unmatched control authority for rock-solid stability in harsh weather conditions. The duct adds increased safety, eliminating operator safety zones, which expands the tactical employment envelope.
Vertical take off means no runway is needed. Deployment by one two people is a huge change.
Forward Operating Bases are easy targets and the future of tactical UAS must be more than just “expeditionary.” V-BAT is a tactical asset with strategic implications. The smallest and most agile footprint of any aircraft in its class. V-BAT is fully deployable by a 2-person team and packs up to fit in the back of a pickup truck or UH-60 Blackhawk. Go from pack to flight in under 20 minutes.
Shield AI announced that the V-BAT had a drone-swarming capability.
In 2023, Northrop Grumman teamed with Shield AI, to replace the long-serving RQ-7B Shadow tactical unmanned aerial system (UAS). Earlier versions of the V-BAT have supported operations for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps since 2016. The new enhanced V-BAT is simple to operate, has increased power, a reduced logistics tail and capacity to carry a range of interchangeable payloads, including electro-optical/infra-red, synthetic aperture radar and EW systems, offering long-term adaptability and life cycle management.
Specifications
Avionics
electro-optical (EO)/mid-wave infrared (MWIR) cameras
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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The US Coast Guard has long lacked enough ships or personal to full fill it’s assigned mission objectives. I hope this, and similar technologies help this situation.