Dear Team,
As we close out 2024, I want to reflect on what has truly defined this year: the mission impact we’ve achieved and the incredible feedback from our customers. Whether it was during shipboard operations with V-BAT—hearing “You all saved our asses; we thought we were going to have to do that mission with a helicopter,” or hearing cheers from the operations center after a successful targeting and strike mission where GPS and Comms were denied the whole time, or during an autonomy demo where an F-16 pilot said, “I could never do what the AI pilots are doing,” these moments invigorated us and reminded us why we do what we do. Our tech has continued to make an impact on real-world missions and set new standards for what autonomous systems can achieve when a dedicated team of professionals works tirelessly to develop, refine, and deploy cutting-edge solutions. Here are some highlights:
- V-BAT completed 17 operational deployments, proving indispensable as an aircraft that delivers Group 5 capability at Group 3 costs. Many international allied militaries are now conducting unilateral ISR and targeting missions with V-BAT.
- V-BAT continued to interdict drugs in the Caribbean Sea (billions of dollars interdicted to date).
- In Ukraine, V-BAT demonstrated resilience against electronic warfare, showcasing autonomy in the toughest conditions and completing the first successful long-endurance, long-duration ISR and targeting mission while GPS and comms were jammed.
- Hivemind advanced the vision of intelligent, affordable mass by integrating onto platforms like the Kratos MQM-178 Firejet and executing advanced dogfight maneuvers with DARPA and the U.S. Air Force.
- Achieved the first-ever multi-jet AI-piloted flights alongside human pilots (2x AI pilots flying with 2x human pilots).
- Via our work with DARPA, we were named a finalist for the Collier Trophy, awarded for the greatest achievement in aeronautics and astronautics.
- Flew the SECAF (Secretary of the Air Force) in an AI-piloted F-16.
- Demonstrated the ability to integrate AI pilots onto new platforms in weeks.
- Nova quadcopters continued to support Israel, including use in hostage rescue operations last year that saved lives according to our users.
- Helped Taiwan and the USA deter China.
Strategic Growth and Partnerships
- Shield AI expanded its international reach through a partnership with India’s JSW Group, strengthening the Indo-U.S. strategic relationship and broadening global opportunities for our platforms.
- We deepened our strategic collaboration with Palantir Technologies, tackling challenges in large-scale command and control of autonomous systems in GPS- and comms-denied environments.
- This year, we acquired Sentient Vision Systems, enhancing our ISR capabilities with their cutting-edge ViDAR technology. Combined with our AI pilots, this acquisition positions us to provide unparalleled situational awareness to our customers.
- Shield AI secured a major contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to provide ISR services using V-BAT, further solidifying its role as a trusted solution for maritime operations.
- Naval Air Systems Command awarded Shield AI a contract to integrate Hivemind onto the Kratos BQM-177A to enable advanced AI-based autonomy for the Navy.
- Shield AI was selected by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) as the winner of the country’s Group 3 UAS Program of Record to provide V-BATs for ISR capabilities on its surface vessels.
Team Recognition & Growth
- Shield AI was named to multiple best places to work lists, earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list, and more – all recognizing our growth and awesome team.
- Shield AI was honored with the Navy SEAL Foundation Patriot Award, a profound acknowledgment of our dedication to protecting service members and civilians. This award is a testament to the heart of our mission and the meaningful impact of our work.
- Our team grew to 900+ exceptional people this year, strengthening our ability to deliver at scale and lead in innovation.
Looking Ahead
2025 is here and our focus remains on scaling resilient autonomy for the world to meet the mission needs of our customers. Thank you to our teammates, investors, and DoD champions who move the needle for national security and global stability every day.
The best engineers in the world want to work at the intersection of cool tech, hard problems, and a mission that matters—and if never tested before, to find out what they’re made of. If you want these four things, join us…2025 is going to be wild.
LFG!
Ryan and Brandon Tseng
Shield AI Co-Founders
