Shield AI's 'Hivemind' Completes First Flight on Anduril Drone
Shield AI's Hivemind AI pilot has completed its first autonomous flight test on an Anduril YFQ-44A jet. The test, conducted over the Mojave Desert, is a key milestone for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The flight demonstrated full mission autonomy, marking a significant step in developing resilient software for autonomous aerospace systems.
This flight is one part of a two-track competition for the Air Force's CCA program. Anduril's YFQ-44A is competing against General Atomics' YFQ-42A for the aircraft contract, while Shield AI's Hivemind software competes against Collins Aerospace's "Sidekick" for the mission autonomy system. The Air Force is evaluating the aircraft and the AI pilot software as separate components. This means the winning autonomy system will not necessarily be the one that was tested on the winning airframe, allowing the service to select the best-in-breed for both hardware and software. A final decision on the production contract for this first increment is expected by the end of 2026. Shield
