V-BAT drone completes operational evaluation with U.S. Coast Guard
NewsAugust 01, 2025
SAN DIEGO, California. Shield AI’s V-BAT 5.3 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) completed Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) with the U.S. Coast Guard, clearing the way for deployment under a $198 million contract awarded in 2024, the company announced in a statement.
The test was conducted aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Midgett and spanned four days of flight operations. The V-BAT system met all performance and system criteria outlined in the evaluation, the statement reads.
V-BAT is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS that uses a ducted-fan configuration and does not require personnel for launch or recovery, the company says. It is designed to support a range of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions across maritime and other operational domains.
The Coast Guard contract is part of a broader effort to integrate uncrewed systems into its Force Design 2028 framework, which emphasizes modernization of surveillance and operational capabilities, the company states.
