LUCAS one-way attack drone is piloted by Hivemind AI

LUCAS one-way attack drone is piloted by Hivemind AI

Shield AI was chosen to integrate Hivemind into LUCAS drones, allowing them to intelligently coordinate and operate in swarms.

Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomous flight software will be integrated into the U.S.-made Low Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) one-way attack (OWA) drone, the company announced on May 19, 2026. Shield AI was selected by the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering (OUSW R&E) ahead of operational demonstration this fall.

Shield AI said Hivemind will allow LUCAS, a reverse-engineered version of Iran’s Shahed-136 OWA, to operate intelligently in organized swarms in degraded and competitive environments. This demonstration will demonstrate collaborative swarm operations of Hivemind-enabled LUCAS drones with minimal man-in-the-loop control.

Hivemind allows LUCAS drones to perform more advanced maneuvers, fly in unpredictable patterns and trajectories, avoid obstacles and perform ground-based air defense. The announcement also comes as US President Donald Trump threatens to renew strikes against Iran under Operation Epic Fury, an operation that saw the combat debut of LUCAS drones.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on March 2 and 3 that LUCAS was one of dozens of air, ground and unmanned combat, reconnaissance and transport platforms used in the first 48 hours of the conflict. This drone was first launched in December 2025, mounted on the flight deck of the USS Santa Barbara, an Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS).

CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the LUCAS strike was carried out by the dedicated Task Force Scorpion Strike. Footage released in mid-March shows LUCAS drones striking Iranian-backed militia targets in Iraq, and a largely intact LUCAS drone with no visible damage to its aircraft was also captured by local Iraqis.

Hivemind has so far been tested on other platforms such as the MQ-20 Avenger, Airbus MQ-72C helicopter drone, BQM-177A and Airbus’ DT25 targeting drone, Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), and Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ autonomy testbed. The key platform on which it will operate is Shield AI’s own X-BAT advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fighter-class CCA, which is expected to be rolled out in the Increment 2 phase of the CCA program.

Hivemind Powering LUCAS OWA

Shield AI described LUCAS as “designed to operate at scale” with “inexpensive mass that can be deployed together to overwhelm enemy defenses and provide warfighters with more capabilities at scale”. This is consistent with the explanation already provided by the US military.

With just operator input, Hivemind AI pilots can enable a group of LUCAS drones to “coordinate, steer and adapt to changing conditions in real time.” Shield AI plans to conduct operational demonstrations this fall, where “one operator commands multiple autonomous systems working together.”

“This effort is an important step toward operationalizing collaborative autonomy – teams of autonomous systems working together in a dynamic, communications-limited environment under the supervision of a single operator,” Shield AI said.

Brandon Tseng, co-founder and president of Shield AI, supported the importance of tuning to improve affordable mass. “Hivemind is an AI pilot that enables mass intelligence,” Tseng said. “It is a layer of autonomy that allows drone teams to sense, decide and act at scale. We are proud to work with OUSW R&E to get this capability into the hands of the warfighter at the right pace.”

Hivemind facilitates the adoption of “networked unmanned systems” with only a single operator commanding multiple platforms simultaneously for “complex coordination tasks.” The nature and scope of human control has been expanded in this release. “Humans control attack decisions while autonomy manages exploration, coordination, and execution. This results in faster time from detection to action throughout the kill chain.”

“Hivemind AI Pilot allows the platform to sense, decide and act independently without human intervention. Unlike traditional autopilots that cannot deviate from a pre-planned path, Hivemind dynamically changes mission plans, reacts to unexpected situations, avoids obstacles and executes complex tasks safely and effectively,” he added.

The US is pursuing vulnerable drones

Developed by Arizona-based Spektreworks, the LUCAS drone is internally designated FLM 136. This is a clear reference to Iran’s Shahed-136 design, which inspired its development. However, LUCAS’ kinematics are significantly lower than Shahed’s, with a range of 350 nautical miles, endurance of 6 hours, payload of 40 pounds, and maximum takeoff weight of 180 pounds.

The Shahed-136, on the other hand, has a range of 1,350 nautical miles, a warhead weight of 110 pounds, and a maximum takeoff weight of 440 pounds. Nonetheless, the advancement of the LUCAS program comes as the Pentagon is eager to increase production and deploy large numbers of attack drones as part of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s Drone Dominance plan.

LUCASLaunchCENTCOM 3
The Low Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) was successfully launched from the flight deck of the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) during operations in the Arabian Gulf on December 16. Task Force 59 operated LUCAS drones as part of Task Force Scorpion Strike, a unidirectional attack drone squadron recently deployed to the Middle East to enhance regional security and deterrence. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Kayla McGuire) (Image credit: U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Kayla McGuire)

The costs involved are a big part of it, as each LUCAS drone costs about $35,000. It also reflects the Pentagon’s current focus on securing large quantities of low-cost weapons that can be procured quickly.

DoW, which prioritizes automation capabilities, plans to spend nearly $55 billion in fiscal year 2027 alone, overseen by the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) equipment. DAWG is essentially the Trump administration’s iteration of the Biden-era Replicator initiative to secure thousands of low-cost “vulnerable” drones for use specifically in the Pacific.

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