Shield AI, a company specializing in autonomous defense technology, has announced the release of its latest system, the ViDAR Pod. This cutting-edge Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) system enables continuous, wide-area surveillance of both land and maritime environments, offering a new solution to surveillance previously dependent on radar technology.
The ViDAR Pod provides passive, real-time surveillance without emitting any signals, a crucial feature for operations requiring covert capabilities. It offers both land and sea coverage, with an AI-driven analytics platform capable of detecting, locating, and classifying a wide range of hard-to-detect targets, including moving dismounts, vehicles, and dark vessels. These advantages make the system especially effective in complex operational environments where minimizing emissions is essential.
Designed for Group 3 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the ViDAR Pod can also be integrated with rotary and small fixed-wing aircraft, expanding its utility across multiple platforms. The system is designed with a compact 60-centimeter form factor, housing multi-spectral cameras and an integrated processor, and can be customized with inertial measurement units and mounting options depending on mission needs.
The system offers enhanced detection capabilities during day and night, and in low-light conditions, allowing it to outperform similar sensors in terms of both land and maritime coverage. It can be used to detect a wide range of threats, from stationary targets and vehicles to fast boats and illegal fishing vessels. Additionally, it provides persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), targeting, and force protection across various mission platforms.
The ViDAR Pod will be showcased at the upcoming U.S. Navy League Sea-Air-Space Maritime Expo in National Harbor, Maryland. Attendees can visit Shield AI’s booth (#1101) to learn more about the system and its applications in maritime operations.
Shield AI, founded in 2015, is a defense technology company dedicated to creating autonomous systems designed to protect service members and civilians. With products like Hivemind Enterprise and V-BAT, the company’s technology supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. Shield AI’s offices are located in San Diego, Dallas, Washington D.C., Abu Dhabi, Kyiv, and Melbourne.