Sentient Vision to fall to foreign control in Shield AI takeover

Optical detection and video imagery company Sentient Vision Systems is to fall into overseas control with a takeover by California-based Shield AI.

Sentient previously collaborated with Shield to develop a ViDAR-enabled wide area motion imagery (WAMI) solution called ‘Sentient Observer’, which will fly this year.

ViDAR is Sentient’s AI system, which uses an Electro-Optic or Infrared (EO/IR) sensor to detect and classify targets in the imagery stream that would be invisible to a human operator or to a conventional radar.

Shield, known for developing AI pilot Hivemind, will merge AI expertise and operational understanding to deliver intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Shield AI’s President, Brandon Tseng said: “The combination of AI pilots, Sentient Observer, and teams of affordable drones like the MQ-35 VBAT will provide the same land and maritime domain awareness that today’s $40M and $180M Group 5 drones and crewed aircraft like the P-8 provide at a fraction of the price.

“The (US) DoD has asked for an all-seeing eye over tens of thousands of square miles, 24/7, without the need for GPS or communication links.

“For Shield AI, Sentient Observer is the final piece of that puzzle.”

The news follows milestones for Shield AI’s growth in the Australian market.

In February, V-BAT received certification for Australian operations from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Then, in partnership with Australian partner, Toll Aviation, the companies launched the inaugural Australian V-BAT training course.

Sentient CEO Mark Palmer said: “What stood out to us about Shield AI is that they are the only company in the world with an operational AI pilot, and therefore have the technological expertise and maturity to really deliver on the AI technology workstream underlined in AUKUS Pillar 2.”

Further reading:
Sentient Vision and Shield to develop AI surveillance

Picture: Shield AI