Shield AI's Hivemind Autonomously Flies MQ-20 Avenger

Shield AI has successfully demonstrated its Hivemind autonomy software flying a General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger during the Orange Flag exercise, announced in a press release. This event, held in February, marks the first in a series of planned autonomy flights with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) throughout 2025.

The demonstration showcased Hivemind's ability to operate autonomously on the MQ-20 Avenger, a jet-powered unmanned aerial system (UAS) used by GA-ASI as a test bed for future autonomous platforms. The integration utilized some Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA)-compliant interfaces, a Department of Defense framework aimed at enhancing interoperability across autonomous military platforms.

Christian Gutierrez, Shield AI's VP of Hivemind Solutions, emphasized the significance of this achievement as a major step forward in demonstrating operational autonomy at scale. The collaboration with GA-ASI aims to accelerate the development of autonomous solutions that enhance mission effectiveness.

Mike Atwood, GA-ASI's VP of Advanced Programs, highlighted the importance of open-architecture platforms in ensuring that warfighters have access to the best mission autonomy solutions available. The partnership with Shield AI is part of GA-ASI's commitment to building an open platform that supports industry collaborations, crucial for advancing autonomous aviation capabilities.