Shield AI's V-BAT unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has been operating in Eastern Europe since early June under a contract with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex. The deployment, conducted in cooperation with local partner Global Sat Tech, focused on enhancing border surveillance and providing support for emergency operations.

According to the company, the V-BAT system has been active across both land and maritime borders, assisting with monitoring and law enforcement missions. Over a 60-day operational period, local authorities reported a measurable decrease in unauthorized border crossings and related criminal activities. The aircraft was used to support various tasks ranging from border control to emergency response.

In late July, the V-BAT was also used in a wildfire response operation in eastern Bulgaria. Operating from a 30-kilometer range, the system detected the fire early and provided real-time situational awareness. The drone tracked fire progression, identified hot spots, and mapped the positions of firefighting teams. Its data was used by helicopter crews to coordinate aerial water drops with greater accuracy, reducing response time.

GA-ASI presents expanding fleet of uncrewed fighters in Rome
GA-ASI presents expanding fleet of uncrewed fighters in Rome
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Bulgarian authorities managed the joint airspace use between the UAS and manned aircraft using altitude separation protocols. The integration of V-BAT into these operations was handled without incident, underscoring the growing acceptance of unmanned systems in complex environments.

Global Sat CEO Nikolay Kerin stated that the collaboration demonstrated the utility of integrating aerial surveillance tools with national security and emergency response requirements across Europe.

V-BAT is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS powered by a single-engine ducted fan. It is designed for runway-independent operations and can be deployed without ground personnel. The platform is in operational use with several U.S. and international forces and supports missions across various operational categories, including in electronic warfare conditions.