Shield AI successfully demonstrated the cold-weather and maritime capabilities of its V-BAT unmanned aircraft during NATO’s HEIMDALL exercise in Norway. Held from February 17 to 26 and hosted by the NATO Center of Excellence for Cold Weather Operations, the event served as a critical validation of the V-BAT’s ability to operate in extreme Arctic conditions without any aircraft modifications.
The exercise focused on manned-unmanned teaming and the integration of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data into NATO’s Multi Domain Operation framework. The V-BAT executed multiple ship-based vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) operations from the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel KV Olav Tryggvason, as well as land-based missions in harsh winter weather. Operating day and night, the aircraft utilized a range of sensors, including electro-optical/infrared systems and synthetic aperture radar, to provide real-time ISR across both maritime and land domains.
A key achievement was the seamless integration of V-BAT’s intelligence data into multinational command-and-control systems, enhancing situational awareness for allied forces. Communications between the aircraft and units at sea and ashore were successfully maintained over multiple frequency bands.
“HEIMDALL was an excellent opportunity to prove V-BAT’s performance in real-world Arctic conditions,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s president and co-founder. “We launched from land and smaller vessels, operated in harsh weather, and conducted surveillance across both domains. V-BAT serves as a force multiplier in contested environments by giving commanders reliable ISR wherever they operate.”
Chris Brinkley, senior director of business development for Europe & Africa, highlighted the platform’s ruggedness. “Cold weather operations present challenges like icing and high winds, which are amplified in maritime environments. Working with experts like the Norwegian Coast Guard allowed us to validate that V-BAT is a truly off-the-shelf, expeditionary asset. It can be deployed globally as an organic support capability without any modifications.”
The V-BAT is a NATO Class I small VTOL UAS featuring a ducted-fan design, over 11 hours of endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine. Its enclosed-rotor design enables safe, unassisted launch and recovery from ship decks and austere locations, delivering persistent ISR and targeting at a lower cost and logistical footprint than larger drones.
