The X-BAT combat drone, developed by Shield AI, is expected to begin its first vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flight tests later this year in the state of Kansas, near the city of Newton.
The ability to operate without conventional runways is considered the key distinguishing feature of the project and will be the focus of the initial evaluations.
According to Armor Harris, the director in charge of the company’s aircraft division and considered the initiator of the X-BAT idea, the practical tests will focus first and foremost on verifying the ability to take off and land vertically. The remarks were made during the AFA Warfare Symposium held in Denver, where the company presented its next steps.
The project is considered particularly ambitious in the field of high-performance combat drones. The concept combines stealth characteristics, long range, significant payload capacity and competitive cost for the United States Department of Defense. Integrating all these features into one platform is a significant engineering challenge – and adding the ability to operate vertically from almost anywhere increases the level of complexity even more.
If it lives up to its promised performance, the X-BAT could redefine the flexibility and survivability of unmanned tactical air operations. However, experts and competitors are watching the plan carefully and question whether the company will be able to meet the technical goals it has set for itself. The upcoming flight tests will be crucial to prove the concept’s feasibility.
“A peer adversary doesn’t have to beat our pilots. They just have to keep them on the ground by cratering runways and annihilating fuel farms. No tankers? No runway? No problem. X-BAT doesn’t need them.”
J.J. Cummings, our Senior Director of Strategic Engagement for Navy… pic.twitter.com/gDAydvTH6o— Shield AI (@shieldaitech) January 6, 2026
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source: The War Zone | Photo: X @shieldaitech | This content is generated with the help of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the editorial team
