Drones & Robotics
V-BAT (MQ-35A)
A ducted-fan VTOL ISR drone that launches from a ship deck and survives jamming.
V-BAT is a Group 3 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft with a patented ducted-fan design, 8-12+ hours of endurance, and EO/IR imaging for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting. Powered by Hivemind, it operates from ships and confined areas without runways or catapults and has been battle-tested against electronic warfare in Ukraine, the Black Sea, and the Caribbean.
What it does
- ▸Runway-independent VTOL from ships/confined areas
- ▸8-12+ hour EO/IR ISR and targeting
- ▸Autonomous GPS/comms-denied operation
- ▸Maritime and expeditionary reconnaissance
- ▸Multi-vehicle swarming via Hivemind
Where it's deployed
- ◍U.S. Coast Guard ($198M ISR services contract, 2024)
- ◍U.S. Marine Corps (all seven Marine Expeditionary Units)
- ◍U.S. Navy (near all ship classes; USS Portland)
- ◍Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)
- ◍Indian Army
- ◍Ukraine
Agencies using it
DoD