Defense startup Shield AI faces scrutiny after Reuters reported more than 50 crashes of its V-BAT drone and a May training accident that injured a Romanian naval officer.
The V-BAT is an autonomous vertical takeoff drone used for reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The crash tally raises questions about the platform’s reliability in operational and training environments.
The May incident occurred during an exercise involving Romanian Navy personnel. The injured officer’s condition and the circumstances of the crash are under investigation by relevant authorities.
Shield AI markets its drones to military customers seeking unmanned systems that operate with minimal human pilot input. High crash rates can delay procurement decisions and trigger contractual reviews with defense ministries.
Investigators are examining whether software faults, hardware defects, or operator error contributed to the reported incidents across the V-BAT fleet.
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