During the Defense Tech Innovations Forum 2025, Shield AI, the manufacturer of the V-BAT reconnaissance UAV, declassified data on its use in combat conditions in Ukraine.
Shield AI also announced the delivery of four V-BAT UAVs at the request of the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, Vadym Sukharevskyi. The delivery will take place immediately after completing the pilot training course on their use, which will last 5 weeks.
Previously, it was reported that they were secretly used for reconnaissance and adjustment of long-range strikes as part of tests, but now more information has emerged. In particular, the use of the V-BAT reconnaissance UAV already has several successful episodes, with the active operation of air defense and electronic warfare systems.
One of them was the mission of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on August 24, 2024, when the V-BAT flew 60 km deep into the occupied territory of Ukraine and moved 100 km away from the take-off point. Then V-BAT managed to detect the Buk air defense system, after which it was struck by the HIMARS system.
As a result of the strike, two units of enemy personnel were neutralized, and the Buk suffered critical damage. In total, during the mission, the V-BAT UAV spent more than 6 hours in flight.In addition, during the flight, extremely important data was collected to understand the tactics and strategy of the occupier.
Another episode of the use of V-BAT was the reconnaissance operation of the Ukrainian Navy in the Black Sea near the Kinburn Spit, on November 19, 2024.
Then the take-off took place from the Odesa region, in order to control the Black Sea and coastal space in the occupied territories. During the operation, intelligence was collected on the movement of troops and logistics of the occupiers, after which V-BAT successfully returned to the take-off point.
In general, V-BAT has shown excellent resistance not only to electronic warfare systems of the Russian Federation, but also to Ukraine. This is confirmed by the mission of November 18, 2024, when the Naval Forces of Ukraine performed day and night flights in the Black Sea, in order to check the resistance of V-BAT to Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
During the flights, the ruscists took to the air two MiG-31 fighters armed with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. This forced Ukraine to activate electronic warfare and air defense systems. But despite this, V-BAT successfully passed this test and showed excellent resistance against these agents.
The V-BAT is able to stay in the air for about 10 hours. Its gross weight, including fuel, is 56 kg, of which 11 kg is the payload. The flight range was not disclosed, but the maximum flight altitude is in the region of 6 km, which allows you to get out of the zone of destruction of some air defense systems and MANPADS.
For reconnaissance as a payload, the V-BAT can carry EO/MWIR thermal imaging cameras, an automatic vessel tracking system – AIS, and a detection and classification system for objects in large monitoring areas – WAS.