Loading data...
The V-BAT is a Shield AI Group 3 VTOL ISR UAS designed for surveillance and reconnaissance, with a tail-sitter/ducted-fan configuration and heavy-fuel propulsion for shipboard and austere-area operations. Shield AI states it can launch and recover vertically without a runway and is intended for defense ISR missions from confined spaces such as ship decks and urban rooftops. The manufacturer also says it offers more than 12 hours of endurance and is built for autonomous operations with Hivemind autonomy software.
Listed by the Defense Contract Management Agency as V-BAT (Shield AI), added 2025-12-31. DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List ↗
| Title | Buyer | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urgent acquisition of drone systems (V-BAT) | Ministère de la Défense | EUR 46.9M | 7 Sept 2026 | awarded |
| India V-BAT + Hivemind Deal | Indian Army | USD 90.0M | 1 Jan 2026 | awarded |
| Netherlands Navy V-BAT Maritime ISR (8 systems) | Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) | — | 1 Jul 2025 | awarded |
| The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (Ministerie van… | Ministerie van Defensie | EUR 31.7M | 6 Jun 2025 | awarded |
| Frontex V-BAT Border Surveillance (Eastern Europe) | Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency) | — | 1 Jun 2025 | awarded |
| Japan V-BAT East China Sea Reconnaissance | Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force | USD 25.0M | 1 Jan 2025 | active |
| USCG V-BAT ISR Services | U.S. Coast Guard | USD 198.1M | 1 Jul 2024 | awarded |
| THIS TASK ORDER IS FOR PRE-DEPLOYMENT INSTALLATION SUPPORT,… | U.S. Coast Guard | USD 9.9M | 1 Jul 2024 | awarded |
| 4560483825!V-BAT 128 VTOL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM | Defense Logistics Agency | USD 13.0M | 29 Mar 2023 | awarded |
| INSTALL NATIONAL SECURITY CUTTERS (NSC) WITH UNMANNED… | U.S. Coast Guard | USD 95.7M | 6 Jun 2018 | completed |
| SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT OF THE VTOL UAV | U.S. Coast Guard | USD 49.7M | 4 Feb 2004 | completed |