Shield AI & Airbus Successfully Demonstrate Autonomous Flight with DT25 Drone

Shield AI has successfully completed an autonomous flight demonstration in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space. The demonstration, conducted in Andøya, Norway, saw Shield AI integrate its Hivemind software onto Airbus’s DT25 target drone within three months.

The flight showcased a counter-UAS (unmanned aerial system) mission profile, where the DT25 autonomously tracked a live adversary aircraft in both permissive and degraded environments. The demonstration reinforced the ability of the Hivemind software to identify, track, and respond to airborne threats without human intervention. The integration and successful flight mark a key step in Shield AI’s expansion into Europe and its partnership with the European defense industry.

“This successful flight with Airbus shows how pairing cutting-edge autonomy with world-class aircraft design can deliver truly transformative capability,” said Nathan Michael, Shield AI’s Chief Technology Officer and Head of the Hivemind Business Unit. “Our mission is to build adaptable, platform-agnostic technology that meets evolving operational needs across a wide range of systems. We’re focused on helping partners move faster and achieve stronger outcomes, and Airbus’s legacy of aerospace excellence makes them an ideal collaborator as we advance resilient autonomy across domains.”

Hivemind is an AI-powered autonomy software that allows unmanned systems to perform complex missions in environments where GPS and communications are denied. The software is designed for modular integration, operator confidence, and deployment across multiple platforms.

“The future of defense includes to a large extent advancements of autonomous capabilities for manned and unmanned assets,” said Thomas Grohs, Head of Unmanned Aerial Systems Programs at Airbus Defence and Space. “Shield AI’s expertise in developing advanced software and integrated systems is helping to shape this future. By combining Airbus’s aerospace excellence with Shield AI’s cutting-edge autonomy platform and tools, we are fostering innovation and shaping possibilities for our customers.”

The companies are also collaborating on other initiatives in both the U.S. and Europe. This work includes efforts to integrate Hivemind autonomy software onto the Airbus MQ-72C Logistics Connector, an unmanned variant of the UH-72 Lakota helicopter.