Shield Ai Shows Off Not At All Terrifying Autonomous 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.

Shield AI X-BAT in jungle

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.

Shield AI X-BAT in flight

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. ®

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