Shield AI
AI-powered drones and autonomy for defense operations.
Shield AI is an American aerospace and defense technology company headquartered in San Diego, California. It builds artificial intelligence–driven fighter pilots, drones, and related technology for military use. Its small-unmanned aircraft system (sUAS), the Nova, was the first AI-powered drone ever deployed for defense purposes in U.S. military history.
The company was founded in 2015 by former Navy SEAL officer Brandon Tseng, his brother Ryan Tseng, and Andrew Reiter. Brandon Tseng got the idea for the startup while serving in Afghanistan, after a mission in Uruzgan province where his unit suffered casualties because of poor reconnaissance of a hostile building. The founders started with $100,000 raised from friends and family, aiming to protect service members and civilians using intelligent systems. They began building a prototype of the Nova drone that same year.
In 2016, Shield AI received its first contract, from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) autonomy program. Under that contract, the Nova was first deployed for reconnaissance and combat assistance in the Middle East in 2018. In 2021, the company got a $7.2 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for its small-unmanned aircraft systems. It later acquired defense contractor Heron Systems and aerospace company Martin UAV for undisclosed sums. By November 2021, following a funding round, the company was valued at over $1 billion. Investors have included Andreessen Horowitz, Breyer Capital, and Silicon Valley Bank. In June 2022, after a $165 million funding round, its valuation reached $2.3 billion.
That same year, Shield AI received another Air Force contract worth $60 million through the Pentagon’s AFWERX STRATFI program. In July 2022, it was selected as one of several companies to support the Air Force’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) program. The company opened an office in the United Arab Emirates in 2022, led by retired Navy SEAL vice-admiral Bob Harward. In November 2022, the U.S. Sixth Fleet included Shield AI in its “Digital Horizon” sea exercise in Bahrain to demonstrate unmanned and AI capabilities.
In October 2023, the company raised $200 million at a $2.7 billion valuation, co-led by U.S. Innovation Technology Fund (USIT) and Riot Ventures.
Quick Facts
- Industry
- Defense
- Founders
- Brandon Tseng · Ryan Tseng · Andrew Reiter
- Hq Location City
- San Diego, California
- Hq Location Country
- U.S.
- Key People
- Francis deSouza (CEO)
- Num Employees
- 1,500 (March 2026)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Shield AI was established in 2015 by former-Navy Seal Officer Brandon Tseng, his brother Ryan Tseng, and Andrew Reiter. The idea originated when Brandon Tseng's unit suffered casualties in Afghanistan due to poor reconnaissance. The founding team began with a seed fund of $100,000 from friends and family. They built a prototype of their flagship Nova drone in 2015. In 2016, Shield AI received its first contract from the US Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit autonomy program. Nova was first deployed for reconnaissance and combat assistance in the Middle East in 2018. The company later acquired defense contractor Heron Systems and aerospace company Martin UAV. In 2021, the company was valued at over $1 billion. In June 2022, following a $165 million funding round, the company was valued at $2.3 billion. In October 2023, the company raised $200 million at a $2.7 billion valuation. In March 2026, Shield AI announced it is raising $1.5 billion in Series G funding at a $12.7 billion post-money valuation.
Reader's Guide
Shield AI's significance lies in its development of the first AI-powered drone deployed for US military defense purposes, the Nova. The company's Hivemind autonomy stack enables drones and aircraft to maneuver autonomously in GPS- and communication-degraded environments. Its products are used for reconnaissance in close-quarters combat. The company has received multiple contracts from the US Air Force and other defense agencies. In 2025, Shield AI unveiled X-BAT, described as the world's first AI-piloted vertical takeoff and landing fighter jet, with a 2,000 nautical mile range. The company has expanded internationally, opening offices in the United Arab Emirates and Kyiv. In April 2024, a V-BAT drone partially amputated three fingers of a US Navy service member, leading to temporary flight restrictions and subsequent development of unassisted launch and land capabilities. In April 2025, Shield AI was added to China's Unreliable Entities list. The company has been recognized by Fast Company, Forbes, Inc., and CNBC.
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