Shield AI MQ-35 V-BAT

The Shield AI MQ-35A V-BAT is an American Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Martin UAV, now Shield AI. Its single-engine ducted fan tail-sitter design allows it to operate without a runway from ships and other confined land sites. The V-BAT is primarily used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting missions. The aircraft has been adopted by military and maritime organizations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Its maritime use includes operations from United States Navy and Coast Guard vessels and a 2026 Frontex and Italian Coast Guard trial from the patrol vessel Dattilo in the central Mediterranean. In Ukraine, V-BATs have operated through Russian electronic warfare (EW) and have been used to collect and relay targeting data for artillery strikes.