Shield AI and Sentient sign multi-year agreement for AI-enabled situational awareness

Port Melbourne-based Sentient Vision Systems has signed a Long Term Agreement (LTA) to supply its ViDAR AI-enabled imagery analysis system to San Diego-based Unmanned Air System manufacturer Shield AI. The ViDAR (standing for Visual Detection and Ranging) system provides real-time situational awareness will be used on Shield AI’s V-BAT Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) UAS to deliver a next generation Wide Area Motion Imagery (WAMI) solution.

“The supply contract is a multi-year, multi-units agreement, with first deliveries planned for 2024,” according to Sentient’s CEO Mark Palmer, who made the joint announcement with Brett Darcey, Shield AI’s Vice President of Product and Programs, in Washington, DC.

The companies previously announced the joint development and integration of a ViDAR-enabled, wide-area-search capability onto Shield AI’s V-BAT unmanned aircraft, which will enable Shield AI’s V-BAT to intelligently classify, track, and read-and-react to targets in dynamic missions. Combining ViDAR with Shield AI’s Hivemind will provide the most advanced AI-piloted ISR sensor package in the world, the partners say.

“Our partnership with Sentient Vision marks a major advancement in AI-driven situational awareness. Integrating ViDAR with our V-BAT platform showcases our dedication to giving allied warfighters the best AI tools so they can achieve a clear strategic edge,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-founder, and former US Navy SEAL.

ViDAR detects and classifies targets in the imagery stream of an Electro-Optic or Infrared (EO/IR) sensor that would be invisible to a human operator or to a conventional radar. With these enhanced capabilities, V-BAT will be even more proficient in executing the most challenging missions, offering a level of capability that significantly bolsters threat deterrence, thereby reinforcing international peace and security.

“The confirmation of our long-term relationship absolutely reflects the AI technology workstream that is underlined in the AUKUS Pillar 2” explained Sentient’s Mark Palmer. “Innovation stemmed from our computer vision and AI-enabled ViDAR and Shield AI’s Hivemind will provide commanders with immediate situational awareness and survivability of our warfighters.”