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Pentagon Deploys Shield AI Hivemind in Swarm Drones

5/22/2026

Summary

Pentagon Deploys Shield AI

The Pentagon chose Shield AI to embed its Hivemind software into LUCAS, a $35,000 one-way attack drone reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed 136.
A pilot program will field swarms that a single operator controls, with Hivemind serving as the AI pilot to coordinate drones in real time.
LUCAS saw its first combat use in Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
Hivemind is also being added to Anduril’s higher-cost YFQ-44A unmanned combat aircraft.

Summary

Shield AI Swarms

Shield AI, founded in 2015, operates offices worldwide and markets the V-BAT and X-BAT VTOL aircraft.
Its Hivemind autonomy software runs on platforms such as the Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program aboard Anduril’s YFQ-44A and the Navy BQM-177 test aircraft.
By integrating Hivemind into the LUCAS contract, Shield AI positions itself as a key player in the low-cost, swarm-capable autonomous weapon market.

Summary

DAWG Funds Swarm

Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) allocated almost $55 billion for drone and autonomy development in fiscal 2027, backing LUCAS swarm.
DAWG merged Replicator to buy thousands of low-cost attritable drones for the Pacific.
Pentagon comptroller Jules “Jay” Hurst called DAWG a “pathfinder” testing autonomy technologies with industry.
Shield AI expects to demonstrate the Hivemind-LUCAS swarm in an operational trial this fall.
The undersecretary’s office declined comment on the pilot’s schedule or participants.

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Pentagon Deploys Shield AI

The Pentagon chose Shield AI to embed its Hivemind software into LUCAS, a $35,000 one-way attack drone reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed 136.
A pilot program will field swarms that a single operator controls, with Hivemind serving as the AI pilot to coordinate drones in real time.
LUCAS saw its first combat use in Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
Hivemind is also being added to Anduril’s higher-cost YFQ-44A unmanned combat aircraft.

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