Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defense aircraft, announced today that its Kyiv-based operations team has completed more than 130 V-BAT sorties in Ukraine.
Conducted in harsh electronic warfare (EW) environments alongside Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), the sorties supported both operator training and enabled operational missions—strengthening frontline readiness ahead of Ukraine’s spring campaign. Since opening its local office in Kyiv, Shield AI’s engineers, technical specialists, and mission operations personnel have been working side-by-side with the USF to accelerate operator readiness and system integration. The company has also hired Ukrainian military veterans to support its mission, with operators scheduled to travel to Texas later this month for advanced training.
According to USF, V-BAT’s ability to operate without GPS or communications—combined with its precision targeting capabilities—has provided a decisive advantage over other UAVs in the region. Ukrainian operators also praised the quality of training delivered by Shield AI’s team.
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Download free sample pages More information“The war in Ukraine is the front line of modern warfare. For defense companies, legitimacy is no longer earned in labs, test ranges, or exercises. It is earned on the battlefield,” said James Lythgoe, Shield AI’s Ukraine managing director and a former U.K. Royal Marine. “Shield AI’s operational presence and focus on real-world problems have allowed us to build systems that perform where it matters most. V-BAT, powered by our Hivemind autonomy stack, remains the only long-endurance ISR and strike platform to penetrate both Ukrainian and Russian GPS and comms jammers. We’re proud to support the USF in this fight.”
V-BAT is a next-generation vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV), powered by Shield AI’s Hivemind software, that combines runway independence with endurance, survivability, and precision targeting. Built for GPS- and communications-denied environments, V-BAT has demonstrated exceptional performance in contested electromagnetic conditions, executing long-range ISR and strike missions where legacy systems often fail.
Unmanned Systems Forces is the world’s first dedicated military branch that employs unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based robotic systems, and marine surface and underwater drones to carry out a variety of tasks. By combining advanced technologies with modern asymmetric warfare strategies, the Unmanned Systems Forces aim to protect Ukrainian citizens and territorial integrity, destroy enemy forces, and significantly reduce their offensive capabilities. The USF’s multi-level approach enables operations both on the battlefield and at strategic depths, targeting enemy assets hundreds of kilometers behind the front lines.
