Plano-based Martin UAV to be Acquired by Shield AI » Dallas Innovates
Martin UAV, a Plano-based aerospace company specializing in unmanned aircraft systems and related flight control software, has signed a definitive agreement for acquisition by the fast-growing artificial intelligence developer Shield AI.
The deal aims to bolster Shield AI’s status as a leader in defense-focused edge autonomy. Martin UAV is best known in the industry for its Unmanned Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft (VTOL) V-BAT.
Shield AI plans to incorporate Hivemind, its autonomy software, which can be used for a variety of defense applications, into the V-BAT – a move that, according to Shield AI co-founder Brandon Tseng, “represents the future of unmanned aerial vehicles.”
It all boils down to three main goals: expeditionary, intelligent, collaborative.
“Expedition means skills on the edge, under control of the units that need them most. V-BAT is on an expedition today, ”said Tseng, a former Navy SEAL. “Intelligent means aircraft that make their own decisions to carry out commanders’ intentions to complete missions with or without reach-back. Collaborative means that numerous V-BATs work together to provide access and area coverage with resilience in high-threat environments. ”
The V-BAT
Martin UAV built the V-BAT with convenience in mind.
The unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS) is unlike any other on the market, the team says: It has almost zero footprint and a long lifespan, and it takes off and lands “like a SpaceX rocket”.
It is powered by a single thrust vector fan that offers 11 hours of flight time and up to 25 pounds of payload. It can fit in the back of a pickup truck or in a Blackhawk helicopter, a size that can significantly reduce logistics costs.
And according to the Martin UAV team, it can float and stare 10 times longer than the competition.
Customers would primarily use the V-BAT to conduct UAS missions from Group 1 through Group 4 UAS and beyond. It has been tested for consistent operating experience at sea for the past two years and supports SOUTHCOM, the US Marine Corps and several international customers. UAS groups are determined by size and ability.
In April, Martin UAV released an updated version of the V-BAT to be used for defense and private sector applications such as search and rescue, fire fighting, logistics utilities, energy, and oil and gas operations. The V-BAT 128 was developed for easy and quick tactical use – it only takes 30 minutes for two people to assemble the aircraft.
Heath Niemi, Martin UAV’s chief development officer, said the team had listened to customers and expanded the capabilities and agility of the V-BAT 128 to allow it to meet a wider range of mission needs.
Over the course of several weeks, the V-BAT 128 demonstrated its low VTOL footprint for launch, transport and operation. It is ideal for takeoff and landing with a footprint less than 12 x 12 feet on stationary or moving platforms.
Shield AI intervenes
Tseng says after he and his team did an in-depth study of the VTOL aircraft market, they discovered that the architecture of the V-BAT was something special.
“It looks different because it is different – no product or technical architecture is better positioned to meet current and future requirements of the Department of Defense,” he said in a statement. “V-BAT engineers have solved extremely complex problems using innovative and principled approaches. By solving these problems, you have gained decisive advantages over other VTOL aircraft. “
The San Diego-based company primarily develops artificial intelligence and self-driving car technologies for the defense industry. For example, his hivemind can train unmanned systems to carry out a variety of missions – infantry clearance operations, breaking through integrated air defense systems, and more.
Hivemind combines state-of-the-art algorithms for path planning, mapping, state estimation and computer vision with reinforcement learning and simulations. When this is added to the V-BAT, it will be the first and only Group 3 UAS designed to operate continuously in hostile environments, the companies say.
“GPS and communication on the battlefield are no longer guaranteed,” said Ruben Martin, CEO of Martin UAV, in a statement. “A great aircraft without an AI that makes smart decisions will be sidelined against China, Russia and an increasing number of adversaries using electronic warfare and air defense systems. Shield AI is one of the few companies that has operationalized advanced aircraft autonomy on the battlefield. “
The Martin UAV acquisition follows news that Shield AI acquired Heron Systems last week. This deal was intended to promote the use of Hivemind for Group 5 and next generation fighter jets.
Both acquisitions are complementary, said Shield AI. Everything is based on a strategy of using Hivemind on unmanned defense and commercial systems and building a full portfolio of systems focused on the Hivemind AI and the autonomy stack.
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