Army to Induct V-BAT UAVs With AI Autonomy for Surveillance and Reconnaissance

The Army has signed an agreement with the United States-based defense company Shield AI to buy the V-BAT UAV. The UAV will be used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The agreement also states that the UAV will be made in India.

While disclosing the agreement, the company said that the UAV is capable of vertical take-off and landing without the need for a runway or any special equipment. The UAV, which can remain airborne for 12 hours, can function even if the communication and GPS signals are interfered with. The Army will be provided the V-BAT drone and the license to Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software, which will be included in the V-BAT drone, under the agreement. This AI-based software enables defense systems to understand an environment, make decisions, and take action without human intervention. With Hivemind, V-BAT can adapt to changing situations, avoid threats, and perform complex military missions.

Notably, V-BAT has proven its mettle in the Russia-Ukraine war. Using this drone, the Ukrainian army identified hundreds of Russian targets. Sarjan Shah, Managing Director of Shield AI in India, said that features such as runway-free operations, long-range surveillance, and performance in difficult terrain make V-BAT suitable for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions from the Himalayas to maritime borders. The selection of V-BAT and Hivemind is proof that the Army has fully understood the need for autonomous systems in the modern battlefield.

The V-BAT drone will deploy without runways in the mountainous terrain of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh to monitor enemy activities. It will act as the army's eyes and ears in border areas, combating infiltration, drug and arms smuggling, and identifying terrorist hideouts. This will enable accurate and timely decisions.