Shield AI, a leading deep-tech company specializing in advanced autonomy software and defense aircraft, has successfully completed its second flight demonstration of the Hivemind mission autonomy software on the General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger. Conducted in a live-virtual-constructive (LVC) environment, this demonstration showcased Hivemind’s ability to coordinate complex tasks between a live MQ-20 aircraft and its digital twin in a realistic mission setting.
This latest demonstration builds on the February 2025 Orange Flag exercise, where Shield AI and General Atomics initially integrated Hivemind using a command-line interface to perform basic operations. The June test progressed to more advanced tactical maneuvers, including formation flying and combat air patrol, utilizing A-GRA-compliant mission planning tools.
Key achievements from the demonstration:
Live-virtual coordination: Hivemind simultaneously managed the live aircraft and its virtual counterpart in a synchronized mission.
Seamless system integration: The software operated smoothly across C2 and edge systems for real-time mission execution.
Open, modular architecture: A-GRA-compliant ground layers enabled rapid, platform-agnostic integration for realistic operational testing.
Hivemind is designed to empower unmanned systems to perform complex missions in GPS- and communication-denied environments, offering scalable, adaptable, and modular autonomy solutions across multiple platforms.
