The use of drones in the grinding Ukraine War has changed the rules of warfare forever, transforming the battlefield into a live lab of a variety of unmanned aerial systems. The Indian Army, for one, seems to have taken the lessons well, as evidenced by its decision to acquire “battle-tested” V-BAT drones.
In a landmark announcement on January 28, U.S.-based deep-tech leader Shield AI, a pioneer in advanced military autonomy software and unmanned aircraft, revealed that the Indian Army has selected its V-BAT vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), along with licenses for the proprietary Hivemind autonomy software development kit (SDK).
“In addition to the procurement of V-BAT aircraft, the deal includes the licensing of Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software development kit (SDK). Hivemind enables defence systems to sense, decide, and act, allowing autonomous platforms to adapt to dynamic environments, avoid threats, and complete missions without human intervention. The SDK enables the sovereign development, deployment, and evaluation of mission autonomy across platforms and will also be available to select Shield AI partners in India to develop autonomous solutions tailored for India, in India,” states the press release.
This is in line with the flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative and New Delhi’s quest for self-reliance in defence. Additionally, local production will eventually enable scaled deployment, reducing costs and import dependence.
V-BAT is a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS with a ducted-fan design, more than 12 hours of endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine, as per Shield AI.
Shield AI announces that its V-BAT vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) reconnaissance UAS have been selected by the Indian Army.
Under the program, the Indian Army will receive V-BATs and licenses for Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software, which will be integrated into the… pic.twitter.com/AtVOdToakf
— Dinakar Peri (@dperi84) January 28, 2026
Sarjan Shah, Shield AI’s managing director for India, highlighted the partnership between his company and India, saying, “Shield AI has been an early mover in investing deeply in India, forging strategic partnerships to bring sovereign defence capabilities to the nation.”
Earlier, in December 2025, JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd commenced construction of its facility for next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at EMC Maheshwaram, Hyderabad, as part of its strategic partnership with Shield AI to manufacture V-BAT domestically. With this $90 million investment, India will be able to produce V-BATs on a large scale to meet the demands of the Indian Armed Forces and serve as a hub for worldwide production.
As airspaces become saturated with short- and long-range air defence systems, small drones, loitering munitions, and autonomous ISR (Intelligence, Reconnaissance, and Surveillance) systems, the war landscape has dramatically changed.
As Lt General Abhay Krishna argued in a previous EurAsian Times article, “The lessons emerging from Ukraine, Gaza, the Red Sea, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict converge on one conclusion: that the future battlefield will be crowded, transparent, persistent, and unforgiving. For India, facing a technologically ambitious China and a militarily adaptive Pakistan, this new reality demands urgent recalibration.”
V-BAT VTOL For India
Shield AI describes V-BAT as “a next-generation vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV), powered by Shield AI’s Hivemind software, that combines runway independence with endurance, survivability, and precision targeting. Built for GPS- and communications-denied environments, V-BAT has demonstrated exceptional performance in contested electromagnetic conditions, executing long-range ISR and strike missions where legacy systems often fail.”
Through a revolutionary single-engine ducted fan design, the V-BAT’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities enable operations without runways in cramped environments like urban areas, rooftops, or austere forward outposts. The V-BAT has a range of about 350 to 500 kilometres, and an endurance of more than 12 hours.
While a Group 3 drone of significant size, the V-BAT is small enough to fit in an SUV, giving the operator shoot-and-scoot capability.
The revolutionary ducted-fan technology enables an industry-leading max takeoff weight-to-payload ratio, as per the manufacturer. The drone has a payload capacity of 11.3 kilograms and a service ceiling of 6 kilometres. The sensor fit comprises electro-optical or mid-wave infrared (MWIR) cameras for high-resolution imaging in diverse lighting conditions. Additionally, the drone can be assembled by 2 personnel in under 20 minutes.
It is very safe to operate, as it has no exposed rotors and a fully unassisted launch and landing mechanism, allowing for maximum operator safety with the smallest possible expeditionary footprint, ranging from urban rooftops to small boat decks.
V-BAT’s Hivemind AI autonomy software enables it to operate in GPS-denied and communications-jammed environments, which is its most significant feature.
When they can communicate with each other, they can operate as a team. V-BAT teams enable operations in comms- and GPS-denied environments by using a state-estimation framework built without GPS. Instead, it relies on shared sensor information to build a common operating picture.
It enables AI-powered sensing, cognition, operations beyond visual range, and drone swarming, in which a single operator manages several units for coordinated missions with drone flight paths generated autonomously in real time.
The Indian Army is acquiring the Shield AI V-BAT drone primarily to enhance its capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, especially as it has recently emerged from a conflict with Pakistan and faces a perpetual security threat from China in the Himalayas, as well as in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
“India’s selection of V-BAT and Hivemind for the Indian Army reflects a clear understanding of the resilient, expeditionary autonomy required by modern militaries operating across India’s diverse environments. V-BAT’s ability to operate without runways, deliver long-endurance intelligence at the tactical edge, and perform in contested environments makes it uniquely suited to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) from the Himalayas to India’s oceanic borders,” Sarjan Shah stated.
As far as the western border is concerned, the V-BAT’s VTOL design will enable launches from limited spaces, such as advanced outposts or vehicles, as regular runways are problematic in the parched Rajasthan desert or the hilly Kashmir region. This would assist the Indian Army in identifying infiltrations, terrorist movements, or military buildups in real time, as evidenced by recent drone drills conducted by India close to the Pakistan border that showed off precise targeting in challenging conditions.
Meanwhile, the Hivemind AI would directly address India’s needs in the northern sector, specifically in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, by enabling autonomous navigation in thin air and below-freezing conditions at elevations beyond 15,000 feet, where manned flights are dangerous.
Additionally, by delivering real-time data to frontline units, it would enhance situational awareness against China’s advanced surveillance tech, enabling better coordination for infantry, armour, and artillery in standoff situations or potential skirmishes.
These features make the V-BAT highly suitable for tactical edge operations, providing real-time ISR and targeting at a lower cost and logistical burden compared to larger drones.
But more importantly, the drone has been combat-proven in high-threat scenarios, particularly in Ukraine.
V-BAT Used In Ukraine
The V-BAT was successfully field-tested in Ukraine in August 2024 and reportedly demonstrated its potency by negating Russia’s EW advantage by operating in a communication- and GPS-denied environment, using a combination of AI and optical sensors, as previously reported by the EurAsian Times.
The drones were able to gather targeting data and transmit it to artillery battalions, even though Russia possesses some of the most advanced electronic warfare technology on the planet
A Shield AI team tested the V-BAT’s EW resilience in June 2025 in Ukraine. According to a Ukrainian military report obtained by Defence One in 2024, the drones were able to operate despite intense jamming that rendered other drones inoperable.
“We flew within 1,000 m of these jammers. No impact on our aircraft. It was wildly successful,” the president and co-founder of Shield AI, Brandon Tseng, said.
In November 2024, the Ukrainian Navy used the V-BAT UAV for reconnaissance over the Black Sea near Kinburn Spit, gathering intelligence on Russian movements and logistics. The drones returned safely despite operating near EW systems.
In April 2025, Shield AI announced that its Kyiv-based operations team had completed more than 130 V-BAT sorties in Ukraine.
Citing Ukraine’s Unmanned System Forces (USF), the company said V-BAT’s ability to operate in EW-contested environments, along with its precision targeting, provided a decisive advantage to the USF as compared to other UAVs operating in the region.
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