Defend AI, a fast-growing protection expertise firm constructing AI pilots for plane, introduced its inclusion within the first set of tasks chosen to obtain funding for the Workplace of the Below Secretary of Protection for Analysis and Engineering’s (OUSD(R&E)) pilot program to Speed up the Procurement and Fielding of Revolutionary Applied sciences, also referred to as APFIT. In response to the DoD’s official launch, the aim of the APFIT pilot program is to expeditiously transition applied sciences and get them within the warfighters’ arms. The advantages of this pilot will probably be to ship war-winning capabilities to the warfighter. Defend AI’s APFIT undertaking includes the preliminary procurement of V-BAT unmanned plane techniques (UASs) — semi-autonomous, long-loiter, vertical takeoff, and landing-capable UASs with modular payload functionality — that may present resilient information transport and find and supply weapon high quality concentrating on info as a part of the Joint Sensing Grid to JADC2.
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“It is a win-win. For the warfighter, they won’t have to attend the typical 4-6 years to obtain new instruments and merchandise to do their jobs extra successfully. For Defend AI and the V-BAT, choice by a joint-strategic workplace like OUSD R&E alongside its choice for SOCOM and Naval Air Warfare Heart Plane Division’s Multi-Mission Tactical UAS program final yr — along with ongoing deployments with Marine Expeditionary Models in assist of Power Design 2030 and widespread adoption with worldwide program workplaces — it’s additional proof that our V-BAT is a really particular plane. Everybody is selecting V-BAT. When a army service buys V-BAT, they don’t seem to be simply getting a profitable expertise, product, and functionality that may radically allow warfighters. They’re additionally getting a crew of world-class engineers and professionals dedicated to creating service members proud and a best-in-class plane and cutting-edge software program, all whereas serving to advance a product roadmap that may remodel the battlefield and strengthen world stability and nationwide safety,” stated Brandon Tseng, Defend AI’s co-founder, President, and former Navy SEAL.
The V-BAT, with its revolutionary, near-zero footprint vertical take-off and touchdown (VTOL) and long-endurance capabilities, is in contrast to any UAS in the marketplace at present. Propelled by a single, ducted, thrust-vectored fan, it takes off and lands within the type of a SpaceX rocket. Its totally operational logistical footprint suits into the mattress of a pickup truck or inside a Blackhawk helicopter, considerably lowering the whole value of functionality. U.S. and worldwide clients view the V-BAT as a versatile, cost-efficient platform able to performing Group 2 UAS to Group 5 UAS missions and past. Defend AI’s Hivemind software program is an AI pilot for army and industrial plane that permits clever groups of plane to carry out missions starting from room clearance, to penetrating air protection techniques, and dogfighting F-16s. Hivemind employs state-of-the-art algorithms for planning, mapping, and state-estimation to allow plane to execute dynamic flight maneuvers and makes use of reinforcement studying for discovery, studying, and execution of profitable ways and techniques. On plane, Hivemind permits full autonomy and is designed to run totally on the sting, disconnected from the cloud, in excessive menace, GPS and communication-degraded environments.
Defend AI is a synthetic intelligence firm based in 2015 with the mission to guard service members and civilians with clever techniques. As a Navy SEAL, Defend AI co-founder Brandon Tseng skilled firsthand issues the place clever autonomy might have made life-saving variations. He requested himself what does the army of 2030 seem like and what position does autonomy play. The reply – AI pilots powering each army asset: plane, drones, ships, satellites and submarines. ?The shortage of software program and AI engineering expertise from giant protection primes introduced a chance to start out contemporary and construct the aerospace and protection expertise firm of the twenty first century targeted on AI pilots. And in 2015, alongside cofounders Ryan Tseng, and Andrew Reiter – Defend AI was based to carry one of the best of AI and autonomy expertise to the U.S. Division of Protection. Backed by top-tier Silicon Valley VC funds, Defend AI has established itself because the chief in AI for aviation. Defend AI has been named to Forbes’ AI 50 and Finest Startups lists, CB Insights High 100 AI Corporations, and Quick Firm’s Most Revolutionary Corporations. The corporate has workplaces and amenities in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and Abu Dhabi.
