Defend AI, Inc., the protection expertise firm constructing the world’s finest AI pilot, has introduced a definitive settlement to amass Sentient Imaginative and prescient Programs (Sentient), an Australia-based chief in AI-enabled real-time situational consciousness, pending customary closing situations and regulatory approval.
The businesses will merge AI experience and operational understanding to ship superior intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities for immediately’s quickly altering protection and safety setting. In August 2023, the firms introduced the joint improvement of a ViDAR-enabled large space movement imagery (WAMI) answer known as “Sentient Observer,” which Defend AI plans to fly this yr.
“The mixture of AI pilots, Sentient Observer, and groups of inexpensive drones just like the MQ-35 VBAT will present the identical land and maritime area consciousness that immediately’s $40M and $180M Group 5 drones and crewed plane just like the P-8 present at a fraction of the worth. The DoD has requested for an all-seeing eye over tens of 1000’s of sq. miles, 24/7, with out the necessity for GPS or communication hyperlinks. For Defend AI, Sentient Observer is the ultimate piece of that puzzle. The DoD can start augmenting and changing their legacy options for a distributed, low value, low danger answer that doesn’t break the financial institution if an plane is shot down,” mentioned Brandon Tseng, Defend AI’s President, Cofounder, and former Navy SEAL.
“This acquisition unites Sentient’s ViDAR and our Hivemind AI pilot, creating the world’s most superior AI-piloted ISR sensor package deal,” mentioned Ryan Tseng, CEO and Cofounder of Defend AI. “Contemplating the crucial of protecting huge maritime areas, particularly within the Pacific, becoming a member of forces with Sentient was a strategic alternative given their experience in optical radar options. The mixing of WAMI on V-BAT will revolutionize our providing, enabling Group 3-sized plane to carry out duties that beforehand required bigger, costlier plane, considerably enhancing our prospects’ operational capabilities.”
This information follows a number of vital milestones for Defend AI’s development within the Australian market. In February, V-BAT obtained certification for Australian operations from Australia’s Civil Aviation Security Authority (CASA). Shortly thereafter, in partnership with Defend AI’s Australian companion, Toll Aviation, the businesses launched the inaugural Australian V-BAT coaching course.
“What stood out to us about Defend AI is that they’re the one firm on the earth with an operational AI pilot, and due to this fact have the technological experience and maturity to actually ship on the AI expertise workstream underlined in AUKUS Pillar 2. The innovation breakthrough combining our pc imaginative and prescient AI-enabled ViDAR and Defend AI’s Hivemind will improve situational consciousness, enabling faster simpler resolution making and assist to avoid wasting lives,” mentioned Sentient’s CEO, Mark Palmer.
ViDAR is Sentient’s AI system, which makes use of an Electro-Optic or Infrared (EO/IR) sensor to detect and classify targets within the imagery stream that will be invisible to a human operator or to a traditional radar. Defend AI’s flagship product, Hivemind, is an AI pilot that allows groups of clever plane to function and full missions autonomously in high-threat environments, with out the necessity for distant operators or GPS. Hivemind is an aircraft-agnostic autonomy stack much like the self-driving expertise present in vehicles. It has flown six plane, together with quadcopters, the MQ-35A V-BAT, the F-16, and Kratos MQM-178 Firejet. Later this yr, it can fly Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie. Defend AI has gathered extra autonomous flight hours executing fighter jet maneuvers, like dogfighting, than any firm on the earth.
About Defend AI
Based in 2015, Defend AI is a venture-backed protection expertise firm whose mission is to guard service members and civilians with clever techniques. In pursuit of this mission, Defend AI is constructing the world’s finest AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown jets (F-16; MQM-178 Firejet), a vertical takeoff and touchdown drone (MQ-35 V-BAT), and three quadcopters (Nova, Nova 2, iPRD). The corporate has workplaces in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and overseas. Defend AI’s merchandise and persons are presently within the discipline actively supporting operations with the U.S. Division of Protection and U.S. allies. For extra info, go to www.protect.ai
About Sentient Imaginative and prescient Programs
Sentient Imaginative and prescient Programs focuses on passive, optical detection utilizing large space movement imagery. Sentient’s Synthetic Intelligence (AI)-enabled sensor edge options higher detect and determine small objects, on land, within the air and at sea. With greater than 20 years of improvement in transferring goal indication, AI pc imaginative and prescient and machine studying, Sentient has deployed 1000’s of techniques worldwide within the discipline of Intelligence, Surveillance, Search and Rescue, enhancing situational consciousness selections in real-time and helped saved lives.
