Operating Drones in Battlespaces Where GPS Can't Be Trusted

Why It Matters

Shield AI’s sovereign, AI‑driven drones enable forces to operate in GPS‑denied environments and scale unmanned fleets, a capability critical for modern warfare and for nations pursuing defense self‑reliance under initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030.

Key Takeaways

• Shield AI showcases AI‑piloted drones operating without GPS reliance
• New Expat VTOL strike platform integrates GE F‑110 engine
• Hivemind AI pilot enables swarm control and superhuman performance
• Sovereign, air‑gapped SDK lets customers own autonomous system IP
• Saudi expansion aligns Shield AI with Vision 2030 unmanned initiatives

Summary

At the World Defense Show, Shield AI highlighted its AI‑driven unmanned aircraft designed for GPS‑denied battlefields, emphasizing trusted autonomy and sovereign control. The company unveiled its latest vertical‑takeoff‑and‑landing (VTOL) strike platform, the Expat, powered by a GE F‑110 engine that delivers four times the thrust of comparable systems, and reiterated the combat record of its VBAT‑3 UAS, which has been operating over Ukraine’s front lines. The core of Shield’s offering is the Hivemind AI pilot, a decade‑long development that now powers fifteen aerial platforms and is expanding into maritime domains. Hivemind delivers three capabilities: navigation in contested GPS and communications environments, superhuman maneuvering demonstrated on a modified F‑16 under DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution program, and the ability to command swarms of dozens to potentially hundreds of drones, dramatically reducing human cognitive load. Executive Riad Al‑Nadi noted that Shield’s enterprise‑grade, air‑gapped software development kit lets customers build and own their autonomous algorithms, ensuring no external “kill switch” and full IP sovereignty. This model has already been deployed with partners across Europe and the Far East, and the company is now establishing a regional headquarters in Riyadh to support Saudi Vision 2030’s push for indigenous unmanned capabilities. The announcements signal a shift toward runway‑independent, AI‑controlled strike assets that can operate autonomously or alongside manned aircraft, reshaping procurement strategies for allied forces. For Saudi Arabia and other regional players, the technology promises rapid scaling of drone fleets without the bottleneck of human pilots, aligning defense modernization with broader economic diversification goals.

Original Description

Trusted autonomy, especially in denied environments, and sovereign control are differentiators in the UAS environment. Shield AI’s Mike Hanlin, Senior Director, Business Development, and Saleh Alnahdi, Director, Business Development and Strategy for Saudi Arabia, explain why that's the case.