Frontex V-BAT Border Surveillance (Eastern Europe)

Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has contracted Shield AI, in partnership with Global Sat Tech, to deploy the V-BAT unmanned aerial system (UAS) for border surveillance along thousands of kilometers of land and maritime borders in Eastern Europe. The V-BAT, a vertical take-off and landing drone capable of autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in contested environments, supports reducing irregular crossings and criminal activity, as well as emergency responses like wildfire monitoring in Bulgaria. This deployment reflects a broader European shift toward integrating unmanned systems for enhanced security, crisis management, and persistent surveillance.

Notes

V-BAT ops Jun-Aug 2025 in Bulgaria via Global Sat Tech. Land/maritime border surveillance, interdictions, emergency response. Reduced irregular crossings.