Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and aircraft, today announced the completion of a successful autonomous flight demonstration in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space, through the integration of Shield AI’s Hivemind software with Airbus’s DT25 target drone.? ?
The flight, conducted in Andøya, Norway, marks a key milestone in Shield AI’s European expansion, reinforcing its commitment to supporting regional defense initiatives and deepening partnerships with Europe’s defense industrial base. Shield AI integrated Hivemind onto the DT25 drone within three months and conducted a successful flight demonstration in which the aircraft autonomously tracked a live-flying adversary aircraft (red agent) in both permissive and degraded environments. The demonstration represented a counter-UAS mission profile, showcasing Hivemind’s ability to identify, track, and respond to airborne threats autonomously.
“This successful flight with Airbus shows how pairing cutting-edge autonomy with world-class aircraft design can deliver truly transformative capability,” said Nathan Michael, Shield AI’s Chief Technology Officer and Head of the Hivemind Business Unit. “Our mission is to build adaptable, platform-agnostic technology that meets evolving operational needs across a wide range of systems. We’re focused on helping partners move faster and achieve stronger outcomes, and Airbus’s legacy of aerospace excellence makes them an ideal collaborator as we advance resilient autonomy across domains.”
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Download free sample pages More informationHivemind is AI-powered autonomy software that enables unmanned systems to conduct complex missions in GPS- and comms-denied environments. Built for modular integration, operator confidence, and multi-platform deployment, Hivemind delivers mission autonomy with proven adaptability and tactical relevance.
“The future of defense includes to a large extent advancements of autonomous capabilities for manned and unmanned assets,” said Thomas Grohs, Head of Unmanned Aerial Systems Programs at Airbus Defence and Space. “Shield AI’s expertise in developing advanced software and integrated systems is helping to shape this future. By combining Airbus’s aerospace excellence with Shield AI’s cutting-edge autonomy platform and tools, we are fostering innovation and shaping possibilities for our customers.”
Shield AI and Airbus are engaged across multiple lines of effort in both the U.S. and Europe, spanning several platforms. This?? includes work with Airbus Space & Defense, Inc. to integrate Hivemind autonomy software on the Airbus MQ-72C Logistics Connector, an unmanned variant of the UH-72 Lakota.
