Shield AI lands $240M to expand drone autonomy tech

Shield AI, a deep-tech company known for pushing the boundaries of AI-driven autonomy, has secured a whopping $240 million in a new funding round, bringing its valuation to $5.3 billion.

AI-powered drones that think for themselves

So, what’s all the buzz about? Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise — a powerful AI-driven autonomy platform — is at the heart of it all. With fresh funding from major investors, including L3Harris and Hanwha Aerospace, the company is gearing up to expand its technology to more developers, companies, and even governments.

Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise isn’t just another drone software — it’s a full-fledged autonomy factory designed to make drones and other uncrewed systems smarter, faster, and more adaptable. Think of it as a plug-and-play brain for drones, giving them the ability to navigate, make decisions, and complete missions without needing GPS or constant communication.

Nathan Michael, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, puts it simply:

Developing autonomy is both complex and costly. Hivemind Enterprise solves this problem and enables the rapid and efficient proliferation of resilient, high-performance autonomy for intelligent machines across industries.

Translation? Shield AI is making it easier and faster for companies to build mission-ready autonomous drones — whether for military use, industrial applications, or beyond.

And this is good because the demand for autonomous technology is skyrocketing, with industry leaders taking notice. Christopher E. Kubasik, CEO of L3Harris, highlights just how important this technology is becoming:

The need for advanced autonomy has never been more urgent, and Shield AI is proving that autonomy at scale is not only possible but inevitable.

Shield AI has already put Hivemind Enterprise to work, with its software enabling autonomous flight for F-16s, MQ-20 drones, and quadcopters used in military missions. The company’s technology has even helped drones navigate underground tunnels and buildings — an essential capability for defense operations.

With this latest round of funding, Shield AI isn’t just stopping at military drones. The company plans to expand Hivemind Enterprise to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), commercial companies, and governments, making its technology a go-to solution for autonomous systems.

Brandon Tseng, president and cofounder of Shield AI, emphasizes that partnerships with L3Harris and Hanwha Aerospace will accelerate these efforts.

Safe to say, with a $5.3 billion valuation and some of the biggest defense tech players backing them, Shield AI is set to make autonomous drones a standard across industries.

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