Shield AI, NCSIST Validate Autonomous Three-Drone Teaming

U.S. defense technology company Shield AI has partnered with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, or NCSIST, to integrate its Hivemind AI pilot with the Ching Feng III drone. Hivemind is designed to let uncrewed systems perceive their surroundings, coordinate missions and make decisions without continuous human control. The project provides Taiwan with a practical test bed for collaborative autonomy, a capability increasingly central to dispersed drone operations and efforts to strengthen indigenous defense technology.

The partners have completed a live demonstration in which three Ching Feng III drones autonomously coordinated a multi-aircraft search mission. The test showed that Hivemind could support shared perception, task coordination and independent decision-making across several vehicles. Shield AI and NCSIST plan to broaden the program and expand the value and scope of their contract. The report did not disclose the demonstration’s exact completion date, the contract amount, the number of additional aircraft planned or a timetable for the next phase.