Shield AI Unveils X-BAT: A Revolutionary AI-Powered VTOL Combat Drone

Shield AI shows off jet-powered VTOL combat drone

US defense technology biz Shield AI claims it can build a jet-powered vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) autonomous fighter drone that doesn't need a runway to operate. The California-based biz this week unveiled a mock-up of its X-BAT aircraft at an event held in Washington DC for an audience of military leaders, elected officials, and industry partners. Still in development, the drone will run on Shield AI's Hivemind AI autonomy software - the same platform that powered a modified F-16 fighter jet in dogfights against human pilots last year. X-BAT is designed as a tail-sitter like the infamous Convair XFY-1 Pogo, taking off and landing vertically, before leveling off for normal flight. It resembles other jet-powered autonomous drones such as Northrop Grumman's X-47B. The vertical launch eliminates runway dependence, which Shield AI sees as a vulnerability since runways are priority targets. A promotional video shows a CGI rendering of the drone being deployed from a trailer. Autonomy is critical because communications can be jammed in contested areas, making remotely operated drones like the General Atomics MQ-9B vulnerable. X-BAT "combines four things - VTOL, range, multirole capability, and autonomy," claimed Shield AI's senior VP of aircraft, Armor Harris. "VTOL plus range solves survivability on the ground and dependency on tankers. Multirole provides critical flexibility as the threat evolves, because no plan survives first contact with the enemy. X-BAT's ability to autonomously operate standalone or collaboratively allows it to project power when other assets aren't around and simplifies kill chains." At 26 ft (7.92 m) long and with a 39 ft (11.9 m) wingspan, X-BAT is about half the size of an F-35 fighter jet, but Shield AI claims it has a longer range of at least 2,000 nautical miles. It can carry both air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons in internal bays, as well as having external hardpoints for larger munitions. First flight is scheduled for next year, with production planned for 2029. "X-BAT has been in development for about 18 months," Shield AI's Head of Communications, Lily Hinz, told us. "The team expects to conduct initial vertical take-off and landing demonstrations as early as fall 2026, followed by all-up flight testing and operational validation in 2028." VTOL is an interesting proposition for many armed forces, yet key questions remain. Shield AI mentions "a proven fighter-class engine" but provided no specifics, making it difficult to assess payload capacity during vertical takeoff. Realistic range with a full weapon load is unclear. Vertical landing on a launch pad is simpler in CGI than reality, though SpaceX proved it's possible. The company did not disclose exact costs, calling X-BAT "affordable and attritable." Hinz said it's "priced in the same range as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programs" -- estimated by the former Air Force Secretary at roughly one-third the cost of crewed fighters, or about $30 million. The CCA programs aimed to develop a drone "wingman" that could accompany a crewed fighter plane on missions. Shield AI began customer engagements earlier this year, and said they are going "very well," but it did not name any. One potential customer is the UK's Royal Navy, which is already seeking jet-powered drones to complement F-35B fighters on its carriers. This month, the Navy issued a Request for Information for Project VANQUISH -- a technical demonstration of an autonomous drone capable of sea-based takeoff and landing, with completion expected by end of 2026. ®

CNBC exclusive: First look at Shield AI's new AI-piloted military fighter drone

The aircraft will be produced for about $27 million, less than the industry standard. The company, which is valued at $5.3 billion after securing $240 million in its latest round of funding, is set to unveil its next generation, autonomous fighter jet known as the X-Bat on Wednesday. CNBC got exclusive access to the company's headquarters ahead of the launch. Shield AI says the unmanned aircraft has a jet engine, will have a 2,000 mile range, can fly up to 50,000 feet and has the ability to take off and land vertically, enabling it to operate in remote locations without a runway -- like on a ship in the middle of the ocean. The X-Bat will be piloted by an AI software developed by Shield AI called Hivemind. The company is now hinging a lot of its future on artificial intelligence development. "The software is a cornerstone and foundation for everything we do," said Shield AI CEO Gary Steele. "It will ultimately be the long term growth driver of this business because it enables the development of this next generation aircraft." Shield AI ranks number 38 on the 2025 CNBC Disruptor 50 list. X-Bat combines some of the defense industry's most advanced technologies into one fighter jet. There have been experimental aircrafts built as early as the 1950s with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities but they required pilots. Shield AI has also used Hivemind to fly the F-16, one of the most widely used modern fighter jets, autonomously. "But those two things -- AI piloted and vertical takeoff launch and land -- have never come together in the form of a next generation aircraft," said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI president and co-founder. The company says its on track to produce the X-Bat for around $27 million, which is a fraction of what advanced military aircrafts typically cost. For example, the F-35 fighter jet that's currently in use by the U.S. government and allies, costs more than $100 million to produce. Unlike Shield AI's previous aircrafts, the X-Bat is designed for combat and can be equipped with missiles. "We fundamentally believe we can save service members' lives by reducing the risk that you have of putting people in danger," " said Steele. "What I'm particularly excited about is the mission we've been on, and the opportunity that it unlocks from a business perspective." Shield AI has been around since 2015 and has already landed some major defense contracts. In 2024, the company secured a nearly $200 million contract with the U.S. coast guard for a drone it produces called the V-Bat. But the startup is still proving itself in a competitive industry. Although it has grown quickly, the company is relatively small compared to defense primes like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman and its biggest startup competitor, Anduril, which is valued at over $30 billion. Despite generating billions of dollars in revenue, Shield is not yet profitable. In 2023, Forbes reported that the company was on track to reach profitably by 2025. However, those targets were thrown off track when a U.S. service member had his fingers partially severed during a Shield AI drone landing demonstration in 2023. "Through that process, there were some loss of confidence from customers," Steele said. "But I think we've done a phenomenal job of recovering from that and rebuilding momentum. And today as we sit here, we're very confident in our ability to deliver great products that are safe." Drones have been used in war zones as early as World War I, but their prevalence has grown dramatically in recent years. The war in Ukraine has helped show the general public the scale and prevalence of drone usage on the battlefield today. "What we see from the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, they are tactically, operationally and strategically absolutely important weapons," said Oleksandra Molloy, a drone expert and senior aviation lecturer at UNSW Canberra. "We have seen a lack of those systems from the U.S., and particularly, we have not really seen the presence of many American companies in the real battlefield." But the U.S. government is now trying to change that. In June 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order called Unleashing American Drone Dominance that aims to accelerate commercialization of drone technologies and integrate them into the National Airspace System. Although no direct dollar amount was attached to that order, the Big Beautiful Bill has allocated billions of dollars in unmanned aerial systems and AI development. "We have to empower the defense industrial base with the exact same development tools, infrastructure and pipelines that Shield AI has used to make AI autonomy," Tseng said. "We work directly with the major defense prime contractors of the world. We want to see them wildly successful building AI and autonomy, because at the end of the day, that's what the warfighter needs. That's what the United States and our allies need." Watch the video to learn more about how Shield AI is making a name for itself in the defense sector.

This new AI fighter jet doesn't need pilots, runways, or GPS

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? Remember the AI-controlled jet that the US Air Force successfully tested in a dogfight last year? The same AI pilot responsible for that feat has just debuted in a fully autonomous stealth drone, though it is being referred to as a fighter jet. The vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) craft can operate not just without humans, but also without runways. Shield AI revealed X-BAT this week, an autonomous VTOL fighter jet that it said can take off from islands and ships. "Airpower without runways is the holy grail of deterrence. It gives our forces persistence, reach, and survivability, and it buys diplomacy another day," said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI co-founder, president, and former Navy SEAL. The headline feature, of course, is that the aircraft uses Shield AI's Hivemind. It's the same technology used in the Lockheed Martin X-62A VISTA modified F-16 that took on a human fighter in a dogfight last year - we still don't know who won that simulated battle. Shield AI told Business Insider that X-BAT, which is powered by a single afterburning jet engine, can complete missions without any human pilot involvement and can advance without GPS or reliable communications. The company says that the X-BAT is a multirole fighter capable of strike, counter air, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. With a range of 2,000 nautical miles and able to operate at altitudes of 50,000 feet, it can act as a lone fighter or a drone wingman that works closely with human pilots to help protect them on missions. It's also able to take off from ships, islands, carriers, runways, or tankers. At 26 ft long and with a 39 ft wingspan, X-BAT is a lot smaller than a standard fighter jet. It can carry both air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and has external hardpoints for larger munitions. As it doesn't need a runway, a large amphibious warships could carry up to 60 X-BATs. They could also be launched from non-military vessels such as container ships. Armor Harris, Shield AI's senior vice president of aircraft engineering, said it can be used by the US Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, or allied forces. X-BAT was unveiled at an event before an audience of military leaders, elected officials, and industry partners this week. It's still unclear if it will become part of the US armed forces, but given that the military and DoD are already developing, testing, and employing unmanned and partially-autonomous drones, this seems like the next obvious step. The first X-BAT flight is scheduled for next year, with production planned for 2029. Autonomous weapons are a particularly hot topic right now. There have been calls to ban so-called "killer robots," but the US has long used the argument that the final decision to engage a target rests with humans, not machines.

X-BAT combat drone blends VTOL, stealth and speed

It seems like autonomous aircraft makers are indulging in a bit of oneupsmanship as Shield AI rolls out its X-BAT VTOL Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) that combines the ability to land and take off without a runway with long-range endurance. Autonomous drones with the flight performance of fighter aircraft that can team with piloted fighters are becoming more common, with two prototypes officially classified as combat aircraft by the US Air Force. That's not surprising, given that such CCAs hold the promise of acting as force multipliers that turn human fighter pilots into mission commanders and make possible missions that would perviously have been too dangerous to even consider. Now, Shield AI is upping the ante with X-BAT. Based on the company's smaller, propeller-driven unmanned V-BAT drone, X-BAT was revealed on October 22, 2025 in Washington DC before an audience of military leaders, elected officials, and industry partners. For the company, this represents an expansion into larger aircraft - specifically, Group 5 drones, which are the heaviest group, weighing in at over 1,320 lb (599 kg). The X-BAT is conceived as a combat VTOL drone that can fly in contested areas that suffer from jammed communications and other electronic warfare measures. In addition, its ability to land take off and land vertically allows it to operate without relying on runways. In addition, its long range of over 2,000 nautical miles (3,704 km/2,300 miles) makes it less dependent on logistical pipelines, making it suitable for backcountry sites, islands, and ship decks. The X-BAT isn't very large, with its cranked kite wings spanning only 39 ft (12 m) and a fuselage length of 26 ft (8 m) - the company claims that when it sits on end it has a smaller footprint than three conventional fighter jets. Mind you, this is offset by the size of its launch and recovery transporter. Shield AI's proprietary AI Hivemind software serves as the brains of X-BAT and allow it to carry out complex tactical maneuvers as well as team with piloted fighters and collaborate autonomously with other drones, even when radio communications and GPS aren't available. X-BAT's power plant is described as an F-16 engine. This means that, if it has an afterburner and the fuselage and control systems are compatible, it might be able to reach speeds of up to Mach 1.2 - very fast for a CCA. The lines of the aircraft and wing geometry show a heavy emphasis on stealth. To cut its radar signature as low as possible, there is an internal weapon bay, though there are also hard points to mount weapons externally if the X-BAT is in "beast mode." Shield AI says that X-BAT has been in development for 18 months and its first VTOL flight is scheduled for later this year, with deployment estimated in 2028. "X-BAT is a revolution in airpower because it combines four things - VTOL, range, multi-role capability, and autonomy," said Armor Harris, senior vice president of aircraft at Shield AI. "VTOL plus range solves survivability on the ground and dependency on tankers. Multirole provides critical flexibility as the threat evolves, because no plan survives first contact with the enemy. X-BAT's ability to autonomously operate standalone or collaboratively allows it to project power when other assets aren't around and simplifies kill chains."

Shield AI unsheathes X-BAT, a missile-toting autonomous aircraft

It's also the latest application for Hivemind, a digital brain that's flown on everything from a General Atomics MQ-20 to a Kratos BQM-177A to an Airbus H145. Zoom in: X-BAT is designed to take off and land vertically, requiring no runway. Three can fit into the deck space of one regular fighter or helicopter, according to the company. * Conceptual videos shared by Shield show X-BAT is 26 feet long with a nearly 40-foot wingspan. Its range is greater than 2,000 nautical miles. * That same footage depicts its potential load-outs. One frame shows a Lockheed Martin-made Long Range Anti-Ship Missile. A second shows two RTX-made AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles. A third shows an electronic warfare package. State of play: Vertical-takeoff-and-launch testing is set for 2026. "Fully operational flight" is expected in 2028. What they're saying: "VTOL plus range solves survivability on the ground and dependency on tankers," Armor Harris, senior vice president of aircraft, said in a statement. * Meanwhile, "X-BAT's ability to autonomously operate standalone or collaboratively allows it to project power when other assets aren't around and simplifies kill chains." Zoom out: The Defense Department is seeking smart machinery to augment troops across ground, sea and air. * The department was in 2022 juggling more than 685 artificial intelligence projects, including some tied to major weapons systems.

X-BAT, world's first AI-piloted fighter jet with vertical takeoff and landing takes shape as Shield AI joins the US defense industry complex

Shield AI has revealed the X-BAT, the first autonomous vertical takeoff and landing fighter jet. This jet can operate without runways, enhancing flexibility for forces. Its advanced AI software allows independent combat and reconnaissance missions. The X-BAT is expected to be significantly cheaper than current fighter jets, enabling wider deployment. Shield AI, a US defense technology company based in San Diego, has announced a pioneering advancement in military aviation with the unveiling of the X-BAT, the world's first autonomous vertical take off and landing (VTOL) fighter jet. Revealed in Washington DC, on October 22, 2025, X-BAT marks Shield AI's leap from small surveillance drones into the domain of jet-powered autonomous combat aircraft. Founded in 2015, Shield AI has garnered major contracts demonstrating trust in its autonomous technology. Notably, in 2024, the company secured a nearly $200 million contract with the US Coast Guard for its V-BAT drone. X-BAT features a tailless blended-wing body design equipped with a single jet engine and internal weapons bays, allowing it to carry a variety of munitions including large missiles such as the Raytheon AIM-174B. The jet's compact frame measures approximately 7.9 meters in length with an 11.9-meter wingspan, designed for agility and stealth reminiscent of Northrop Grumman's experimental X-47B drone. One of the fighter's most notable aspects is its VTOL capability, enabling vertical take off and landing from nearly any surface, including ship decks or remote terrains, without the need for conventional runways. This capability significantly enhances operational flexibility for US and allied forces, allowing deployment in contested environments where runways may be compromised or unavailable. At its core lies Shield AI's proprietary Hivemind software -- a highly advanced artificial intelligence system that empowers X-BAT with autonomous flight and combat capabilities, even in communication-denied or GPS-disrupted battlespaces. Hivemind enables the jet to perform strike, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare missions independently or collaboratively with manned aircraft, essentially functioning as an AI wingman or solo fighter. Brandon Tseng, co-founder and president of Shield AI, emphasized that X-BAT "expands US and allied airpower through a transformative, runway-independent aircraft" and described autarkic airpower as "the holy grail of deterrence," providing enhanced persistence, reach, and survivability that can extend diplomatic options. Shield AI states that the X-BAT is on track to be produced for approximately $27 million per unit. This price point is a fraction of the cost of traditional advanced military aircraft -- for instance, the widely used F-35 fighter jet costs over $100 million each to produce. This lower cost is expected to permit deployment at scale and offers a new "cost per effect" paradigm for the US and allied forces. The jet will boast an operational range of 2,000 miles and is capable of flying at altitudes up to 50,000 feet, supporting a range of mission profiles from deep strike to long-endurance patrols Initial VTOL flight tests for X-BAT are slated for Autumn 2026, with a full operational flight test and mission validation expected by 2028. The project reflects growing military interest in unmanned combat aircraft designed to supplement and collaborate with human pilots, fitting into broader US Air Force and Navy programs focusing on collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and drone wingmen. Shield AI's experience with AI control systems was demonstrated during recent autonomous dogfighting tests where their Hivemind software piloted the X-62A VISTA aircraft in simulated combat against manned F-16 jets. The X-BAT's combination of VTOL functionality, jet propulsion, multi-role capacity, and AI autonomy presents a new paradigm in military aviation. It addresses critical needs for runway independence, operational flexibility, and resilience in environments with electronic warfare threats or degraded communications.