Shield AI has revealed that the firm’s new V-BAT 5.3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has successfully completed Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) with the U.S. Coast Guard.
The V-BAT passed the operational test by scoring 100% on all Key Performance Parameters and Key System Attributes aboard Coast Guard Cutter Midgett over the course of four days of flight tests. This milestone clears the way for full deployment under a $198 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) firm fixed-price contract awarded in June 2024 to deliver Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) services using the V-BAT platform.
V-BAT is Shield AI’s operationally deployed single-engine, ducted-fan, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS, capable of launching and recovering without personnel. Trusted by U.S. and international forces, it supports a broad range of missions across Group 1 to Group 5 categories and beyond.
V-BAT’s role in the Coast Guard’s transformation under Force Design 2028 underscores how rapidly unmanned systems are reshaping maritime operations,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-founder, and former Navy SEAL. “Passing this OT&E on time and on target is an important milestone, but it’s just the beginning. Our focus now turns to expanding the V-BAT capability within the Coast Guard to deliver outcomes every day at unprecedented scale.”