Shield Ai Inc.

Shield AI Inc., a San Diego-based manufacturer of autonomous systems, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and artificial intelligence technologies, operates as a prime contractor (88% of recent awards) on full-and-open federal defense procurements without set-aside designations, competing across Department of Defense and civilian agencies. The company is a for-profit corporation with three named subsidiaries—Sentient Vision Systems PTY LTD, Martin UAV LLC, and Heron Systems, Inc.—each engaged in unmanned systems manufacturing and AI capabilities development.

Shield AI's capability portfolio centers on multi-role unmanned aerial systems (MR-UAS), vertical takeoff and landing (VBAT) platforms, artificial intelligence swarm technologies, autonomous capabilities research and development, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services. Recent prime work includes a $4.73 million delivery order from the U.S. Coast Guard (May 2026) for MR-UAS installation and deployment on National Security Cutters under the Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems indefinite delivery contract; a $16 million delivery order (February 2026) for VBAT shore-based services in Puerto Rico, also from the Coast Guard; a $10.975 million Air Force Research Laboratory SBIR Phase III contract (May 2023) for artificial intelligence swarm autonomous capabilities development; and a $13.4 million Naval Air Systems Command other transaction agreement (August 2024) supporting the ARCANE autonomy prototype project. The company also received a $3.156 million Naval Air Warfare Center definitive contract (February 2025) for research and development supporting advanced air platform and sensor development.

Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward the Department of Defense. The top five funding agencies by award count account for 50% of recent awards, led by the Coast Guard (10 awards, $275.9 million combined potential value) and the Air Force Materiel Command Research Laboratory (8 awards, $35.9 million), followed by U.S. Special Operations Command, Naval Air Systems Command, and the DHS Science and Technology Directorate. However, potential-value rankings diverge sharply: the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base dominates dollars through participation in the Eglin Wide Agile Acquisitions Contract (EWAAC, $46 billion combined potential value on 2 awards), and the Air Force holds a $950 million Joint All Domain Command and Control Support contract. The Coast Guard's share is anchored by the $229.3 million Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems indefinite delivery contract awarded June 2024.

Shield AI holds positions on multiple high-value indefinite delivery vehicles. The Eglin Wide Agile Acquisition Contract ($46 billion ceiling, multiple-award IDIQ awarded September 2021 by AFLCMC Eglin AFB) carries 2 task orders totaling $10.5 million in potential value. The Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems indefinite delivery contract with the Coast Guard ($229.3 million ceiling, single-award, awarded June 2024, runs through September 2029) has generated 9 task orders worth $46.6 million combined potential value. Shield AI also holds a newly awarded $151 billion Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) multiple-award IDIQ from the Missile Defense Agency (December 2025, completion December 2035) and framework Basic Ordering Agreements with Naval Air Systems Command (ISR services, awarded March 2026), the Naval Air Warfare Center (SBIR Phase III BOA, awarded August 2024), and Army PEO Aviation for drones and drone components (awarded December 2025). The company maintains a $950 million Joint All Domain Command and Control Support indefinite delivery contract with the Department of the Air Force (awarded June 2022, completion May 2025—currently at recompete risk).

Activity has remained relatively flat, with 4 awards in 2022 growing to 9 in 2025 and 5 awards year-to-date in 2026. Seven awards with combined potential value of $53.3 million reach ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, presenting recompete exposure on Coast Guard VBAT and MR-UAS deployment task orders and Air Force programs. The combined potential value across all 60 awards (prime and sub) is $47.54 billion, though only $174.8 million has been obligated to date.

In its subcontractor role, Shield AI delivers engineering support, VBAT aircraft and training, and ISR services to primes including Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., American Electronic Warfare Associates Inc., Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Sierra Nevada Company LLC, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Shield AI's own subcontractor network—when serving as prime—includes Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., American Electronic Warfare Associates Inc., Linquest Corporation, and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory for comprehensive engineering, technology development, and operational support on Coast Guard and Naval Air Systems Command programs.

Service Contract Inventory reporting shows minimal activity: $0 in invoiced revenue across FY2024 with 0.2 FTEs reported on 2 prime service contracts above the $150,000 threshold. SCI coverage is sparse and does not reflect the vendor's substantial goods and R&D contract activity, which dominates the federal footprint; SCI data should be treated as an incomplete view of federal service engagement.