The Pentagon has tapped Shield AI to integrate its software into a new one-way attack drone program designed to give U.S. forces cheaper weapons in larger numbers as the Iran war and other modern conflicts accelerate demand for unmanned systems.
The contract, announced by Shield AI, places the San Diego-based defense technology company at the center of a Pentagon pilot program to field drone swarms. Shield AI said its Hivemind software will act as the "AI pilot" for the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, known as LUCAS, allowing groups of drones to coordinate, maneuver, and adapt together in real time based on input from U.S. service members.
