Defense tech company Shield AI has signed a memorandum of understanding with Thunder Tiger to integrate its Hivemind autonomy software into the Taiwanese firm’s unmanned surface and aerial systems, starting with unmanned surface vessels, or USVs.
What Does the Shield AI-Thunder Tiger Partnership Involve?
As part of the agreement, Hivemind will be used as the AI pilot for a Thunder Tiger USV, with a live demonstration scheduled to showcase autonomous maritime operations, Shield AI said Wednesday.
The partnership includes simulation-based testing, hardware-in-the-loop integration and live vehicle demonstrations aimed at validating coordinated autonomous operations across multiple systems.
“Hivemind has been integrated and proven across dozens of platforms and domains worldwide, and we are excited to see it on the water in Taiwan with Thunder Tiger,” said Brandon Tseng, co-founder of Shield AI and former U.S. Navy SEAL.
“Our partnership with Thunder Tiger is about getting Taiwan MND the asymmetric capabilities needed to deter conflict and is part of a broader strategy to support Taiwan,” Tseng added.
Gene Su, board director and general manager of Thunder Tiger, said integrating Hivemind will enhance the autonomous decision-making capabilities of the company’s platforms.
“We see this partnership as an opportunity to advance Taiwan’s defense industrial base and deliver more capable, autonomous systems to forces,” Su said.
Shield AI said the partnership builds on its growing presence in Taiwan, including prior agreements and its Taipei 101 office, to support the development of sovereign autonomous defense capabilities.
What Are Shield AI’s Other Recent International Partnerships?
The Thunder Tiger agreement follows Shield AI’s September 2025 agreement with Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. to help expand Taiwan’s ability to field and sustain advanced autonomous systems. The AIDC partnership covers sustainment, training and autonomy integration and is intended to strengthen the country’s sovereign defense and aerospace industrial base.
Shield AI has also expanded operations in India through the launch of Shield AI India and a new office in New Delhi in April. The subsidiary will provide autonomy development, software integration and engineering services while supporting collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Defense to expand its domestic artificial intelligence capabilities.
