Frontex Deploys Shield AI’s V-BAT Drone to Secure Borders in Eastern Europe
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Since early June, the V-BAT unmanned aerial system (UAS) from US company Shield AI has been operating in Eastern Europe under a contract with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, in partnership with Global Sat Tech. This vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone, powered by a heavy-fuel (JP5) ducted-fan engine, is designed to operate fully autonomously without ground infrastructure and from confined areas such as urban rooftops, ships, or unprepared terrain. Its enclosed design, with no exposed rotors, increases operator safety, while its compact form enables deployment in less than thirty minutes by a two-person team. The V-BAT can carry up to 18 kg of payload and provides 600 W of power for onboard sensors, allowing broad modularity to meet varied operational requirements.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
As part of the Frontex mission, the V-BAT has been deployed along thousands of kilometers of land and maritime borders (Picture source: Shield AI)
Already in service with US, allied, and Ukrainian armed forces, it is configured for operations in electronically contested environments. Its ability to conduct intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and targeting missions in areas without GPS or communications makes it suitable for high-intensity situations. Possible configurations include synthetic aperture radar (SAR), laser designators and rangefinders, GNSS anti-jamming systems, transponders, and, in the future, kinetic munitions. The integration of the passive ViDAR optical system provides coverage of more than 8,000 km² per hour, enabling the detection and identification of targets on land or at sea, with an operational advantage in field of view and processing speed compared to similar systems.
As part of the Frontex mission, the V-BAT has been deployed along thousands of kilometers of land and maritime borders. Local authorities report a marked decrease in irregular crossings and criminal activity, directly attributed to the drone’s capabilities. In addition to border surveillance, it has been used for tracking and intercepting suspicious vessels, supporting search and rescue at sea, conducting reconnaissance of sensitive areas, and providing real-time intelligence to deployed ground forces. Its endurance, exceeding 13 hours, allows for persistent surveillance over large areas with a limited number of aircraft.
The V-BAT has also proven effective in disaster relief and crisis management. In late July, in eastern Bulgaria, it was deployed to contain a rapidly spreading wildfire. Operating 30 kilometers from the site, it detected the fire, monitored its progression, and transmitted precise real-time coordinates to response teams, facilitating the planning of helicopter water drops and coordination with ground resources. Its design enables operations from mobile platforms, including moving ships, in wind conditions up to 25 knots, significantly expanding its operational scope in complex maritime and coastal environments.
The Bulgarian operation demonstrated its integration into congested airspace, as authorities coordinated manned and unmanned flights using only altitude separation. This level of interoperability reflects the system’s technological maturity and user confidence. According to Global Sat Tech, the mission illustrates the effectiveness of combining technology with operational requirements. The deployment of the V-BAT with Frontex is part of a broader shift in which unmanned systems are becoming a core element of European security and crisis management strategies, offering a flexible response to threats and emergencies while strengthening maritime, coastal, and land border surveillance.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Since early June, the V-BAT unmanned aerial system (UAS) from US company Shield AI has been operating in Eastern Europe under a contract with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, in partnership with Global Sat Tech. This vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone, powered by a heavy-fuel (JP5) ducted-fan engine, is designed to operate fully autonomously without ground infrastructure and from confined areas such as urban rooftops, ships, or unprepared terrain. Its enclosed design, with no exposed rotors, increases operator safety, while its compact form enables deployment in less than thirty minutes by a two-person team. The V-BAT can carry up to 18 kg of payload and provides 600 W of power for onboard sensors, allowing broad modularity to meet varied operational requirements.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
As part of the Frontex mission, the V-BAT has been deployed along thousands of kilometers of land and maritime borders (Picture source: Shield AI)
Already in service with US, allied, and Ukrainian armed forces, it is configured for operations in electronically contested environments. Its ability to conduct intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and targeting missions in areas without GPS or communications makes it suitable for high-intensity situations. Possible configurations include synthetic aperture radar (SAR), laser designators and rangefinders, GNSS anti-jamming systems, transponders, and, in the future, kinetic munitions. The integration of the passive ViDAR optical system provides coverage of more than 8,000 km² per hour, enabling the detection and identification of targets on land or at sea, with an operational advantage in field of view and processing speed compared to similar systems.
As part of the Frontex mission, the V-BAT has been deployed along thousands of kilometers of land and maritime borders. Local authorities report a marked decrease in irregular crossings and criminal activity, directly attributed to the drone’s capabilities. In addition to border surveillance, it has been used for tracking and intercepting suspicious vessels, supporting search and rescue at sea, conducting reconnaissance of sensitive areas, and providing real-time intelligence to deployed ground forces. Its endurance, exceeding 13 hours, allows for persistent surveillance over large areas with a limited number of aircraft.
The V-BAT has also proven effective in disaster relief and crisis management. In late July, in eastern Bulgaria, it was deployed to contain a rapidly spreading wildfire. Operating 30 kilometers from the site, it detected the fire, monitored its progression, and transmitted precise real-time coordinates to response teams, facilitating the planning of helicopter water drops and coordination with ground resources. Its design enables operations from mobile platforms, including moving ships, in wind conditions up to 25 knots, significantly expanding its operational scope in complex maritime and coastal environments.
The Bulgarian operation demonstrated its integration into congested airspace, as authorities coordinated manned and unmanned flights using only altitude separation. This level of interoperability reflects the system’s technological maturity and user confidence. According to Global Sat Tech, the mission illustrates the effectiveness of combining technology with operational requirements. The deployment of the V-BAT with Frontex is part of a broader shift in which unmanned systems are becoming a core element of European security and crisis management strategies, offering a flexible response to threats and emergencies while strengthening maritime, coastal, and land border surveillance.
