Shield AI Unveils Scale Model Using In-House Autonomy Software

Shield AI, a company previously known for its autonomy software, has taken a leap into the world of aircraft manufacturing by designing the “world’s first” AI-piloted VTOL fighter jet. A scale model of the drone, dubbed X-BAT, was unveiled on October 21 and has already turned heads across the defense industry.

“It is truly an inspirational aircraft,” said Shield AI President and Co-founder Brandon Tseng. “And when you see it, I believe that you’ll probably think to yourself, ‘Holy s**t, that thing is f***ing cool.'”

The X-BAT is described as a Group 5 class unmanned system under Pentagon terminology, meaning it is geared toward missions traditionally reserved for crewed fighter jets. Shield AI claims that the drone will be capable of vertical launch and recovery, possess stealth-optimized surfaces, and operate in communications-denied or GPS-denied environments thanks to its homemade ‘Hivemind’ brain.

This positions the VTOL as both a “loyal wingman” for manned aircraft and a standalone autonomous strike platform. Its design reportedly features internal weapons bays, external hard-points, and a range of over 2,000 nautical miles, enabling long-range missions without reliance on traditional runways or tankers.

While X-BAT is far from going airborne, executives say that the propulsion system under evaluation is much like those used in F-16 or F-15 thrust-vectoring programs. A production partner is slated to be announced in the coming weeks.

Shield AI hopes to kick off initial vertical take-off and landing tests as early as autumn 2026, with full flight testing and operational validation slated for 2028. The price tag is unconfirmed, but if it’s anywhere close to other military Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), it’ll be hefty… but not hefty enough to deter US defense buyers.

The unveiling comes amid a growing focus on next-generation unmanned combat systems by the US military and allies. The US Air Force’s new unmanned fighter jets, the Anduril YQ-44A and the General Atomics YFQ-42A, are steadily progressing through testing, with the latter already having completed its maiden flight.

FMI: https://shield.ai