Shield AI向台湾海巡署交付首架V-BAT舰载无人机，漢翔仅承担本地后勤维保合作

US defense technology company Shield AI has delivered its first V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft to Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration after winning a contract. The company expects to deliver 12 aircraft in the coming months and will work with Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) to support logistics, maintenance, training, autonomous systems integration, deployment, and scaled operations in Taiwan.

Shield AI and AIDC won the Coast Guard Administration's shipborne drone project in July 2026.
Earlier on October 7, the Coast Guard Administration demonstrated the first V-BAT to National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu and the Ocean Affairs Council. Shield AI engineers showed that the drone can be assembled in just a few minutes, highlighting its ease of operation and advanced capabilities for maritime security missions.
The Coast Guard Administration will use the V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing surveillance drone for shipborne missions, including surveillance and reconnaissance, maritime patrols, and law enforcement.
Because vertical takeoff and landing drones do not require runways, they offer greater deployment flexibility while helping reduce operating costs and personnel requirements. To deepen local technical cooperation, Shield AI will train Coast Guard operators and maintenance personnel while working with AIDC to establish a comprehensive local support system for the V-BAT.
The V-BAT is a Group 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) featuring a ducted-fan design, more than 12 hours of endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine. It was specifically designed to operate in high-intensity electronic warfare environments.
According to Shield AI, testing and actual deployments have shown that the V-BAT can provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as target-acquisition capabilities, at far lower costs and with less logistical support than larger unmanned aircraft systems.
Its single-engine, enclosed-rotor design allows the aircraft to take off and land without additional support equipment on ship decks, urban rooftops, and in harsh environments, making it suitable for maritime and expeditionary missions.
Brandon Tseng, president and co-founder of Shield AI, said the V-BAT has supported multiple US government missions. In 2025, for example, it assisted in intercepting more than 100,000 pounds of narcotics.
Shield AI said the V-BAT's arrival in Taiwan and delivery to the Coast Guard Administration will help provide the maritime domain awareness and intelligence picture required in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, strengthening Taiwan's ability to protect the security and sovereignty of its waters.