Shield AI, the defense-tech company building the world’s best AI pilots and next-generation aircraft, and Thunder Tiger Corp., one of Taiwan’s leading manufacturers of unmanned surface and aerial systems, announced today a memorandum of understanding to integrate Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software across Thunder Tiger’s unmanned systems portfolio, beginning with unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
As a first milestone, Hivemind will serve as the AI pilot on a Thunder Tiger USV, with a live demonstration planned for this summer. This will show how autonomy enables Taiwan’s maritime systems to navigate, respond, and carry out real-world missions at sea.
“Hivemind has been integrated and proven across dozens of platforms and domains worldwide, and we are excited to see it on the water in Taiwan with Thunder Tiger, supporting the kind of cross-domain, multi-agent teaming that changes what unmanned systems can do in contested environments. Our partnership with Thunder Tiger is about getting Taiwan MND the asymmetric capabilities needed to deter conflict and is part of a broader strategy to support Taiwan,” said Brandon Tseng, co-founder of Shield AI and a former U.S. Navy SEAL.
The agreement establishes a phased approach to integration and testing, including simulation-based testing, hardware-in-the-loop integration, and live vehicle testing. The goal is to validate how multiple autonomous systems can operate together as a coordinated team across Thunder Tiger’s platforms.
“Thunder Tiger has built a portfolio of unmanned systems designed for real operational conditions — from coastal defense to multi-domain missions. Integrating Hivemind gives our platforms the autonomous decision-making capability to execute complex missions independently and operate as part of a coordinated team. We see this partnership as an opportunity to advance Taiwan’s defense industrial base and deliver more capable, autonomous systems to forces,” said Gene Su, board director and general manager of Thunder Tiger Corp.
Hivemind is Shield AI’s core artificial intelligence software that enables systems to sense, decide, and act across any domain. Its application across Thunder Tiger’s aerial and maritime platforms allows mixed fleets to operate together as a coordinated, intelligent team.
This partnership builds on Shield AI’s existing agreements and contracts in Taiwan to advance teaming and AI-piloted unmanned systems. It reflects the company’s growing in-country presence including its office in Taipei 101, and a shared commitment to helping Taiwan develop, field, and sustain its own autonomous defense capabilities alongside local industry.