Shield AI, in partnership with the Navy’s Strike Planning and Execution (PMA-281) and Aerial Targets (PMA-208) programs, successfully demonstrated Hivemind, its AI-enabled mission autonomy software, autonomously flying two Navy BQM-177A aircraft during a December flight test at Point Mugu Sea Range in California.
The flight served as the capstone event of a multi-month integration and test campaign and followed an initial August demonstration, during which Hivemind first flew the BQM-177A to validate Advanced Vehicle Control Laws (AVCL) and integrate foundational autonomous behaviors. In this capstone event, Hivemind piloted two BQM-177As in a Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) environment that included a virtual F-18 and constructive adversary aircraft. The autonomous aircraft executed coordinated defensive behaviors—maneuvering to defend designated Combat Air Patrol (CAP) positions as adversaries attempted to penetrate those areas or target friendly forces. The event showcased more advanced autonomous decision-making than previous tests and progressed integration with the Navy’s Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), supporting future interoperability across unmanned platforms.
“This demonstration highlights Hivemind’s ability to operate as a low-risk, adaptable autonomy stack integrated onto a Navy platform,” said Christian Gutierrez, vice president of Hivemind Solutions at Shield AI. “We appreciate the Navy’s continued partnership as we move these capabilities forward. Developing mission autonomy that excels in operational environments requires rigor, collaboration, and close coordination with operators, and these events reflect that joint effort.”
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Download free sample pages More informationHivemind is Shield AI’s core artificial intelligence software that assumes the role of a human pilot or operator, enabling unmanned defense systems to sense, decide, and act. Unlike traditional autopilots that simply follow preplanned routes, Hivemind can reroute around no-fly zones, avoid or engage obstacles, respond to unexpected conditions, and complete missions safely and effectively without human intervention. Hivemind is A-GRA-compliant, platform-agnostic, and has demonstrated A-GRA aligned flight operations across multiple government and industry test efforts.
Originally designed as a high-performance aerial target, the BQM-177A served in this event as a surrogate autonomy research platform, generating insights that may inform the Navy’s emerging thinking around future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concepts and unmanned teaming roles. Shield AI served as the lead systems integrator and mission autonomy provider for the event, managing platform modification, payload integration, and technical coordination across industry and government stakeholders.
In 2024, the Navy selected Shield AI to integrate Hivemind onto the Kratos-built BQM-177A and develop a prototype testbed for autonomous flight. The capstone flight represents a key engineering milestone, and an inflection point for continued development and fleet experimentation in 2026 and beyond.
