Shield AI Brings Autonomous Pilot to LUCAS Kamikaze Drone

The US has partnered with Shield AI to integrate its proprietary Hivemind autonomy software into the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat System (LUCAS) loitering munition, adding AI-enabled coordination, navigation, and swarm capabilities to the platform.

Developed for the Pentagon, LUCAS is designed to mirror the Iranian-made Shahed one-way attack platform and provide a low-cost solution that can deploy in large numbers to overwhelm enemy defenses and expand combat capacity.

Hivemind will act as the drone’s onboard autonomous pilot, enabling coordinated swarm operations in contested or signal-denied environments while requiring only a single human operator.

Read the full story on our new publication, The Drone Front: Shield AI Brings Autonomous Pilot to LUCAS Kamikaze Drone