Buying guide

Vector (and Trinity) vs Shield AI V-BAT in 2026

Comparing 2 humanoid robots across availability, pricing, capabilities, and verified deployments. Current as of 2026.

Key differences

On DEPLOY's record, Shield AI V-BAT is further along: at the production stage versus Vector (and Trinity) at the commercial stage, as of 2026.

Shield AI V-BAT has more capabilities independently verified as autonomous (1 vs 0).
Shield AI V-BAT has more verified real-world deployments (3 vs 1).
Vector (and Trinity) is at the commercial stage; Shield AI V-BAT at the production stage.

Attribute	Vector (and Trinity)View full model page →	Shield AI V-BAT View full model page →
Manufacturer	Quantum Systems	Shield AI
Form factor	aerial	aerial
Maturity	commercial	production
Autonomy	—	✓ 1 verified autonomous
Availability	internal-onlyenterprise	internal-onlyenterprise
Price	Not announced	Not announced
Capability claims	—	flight in GPS- and communications-denied environments (autonomous, verified) Multi-drone autonomous team operations (autonomous, demonstrated-once)
Brain	—	Shield AI Hivemind (foundation-model)
Verified deployments	1Quantum Systems	3
Privacy practices	—	—
Sources on file	9	14

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Vector (and Trinity)

Shield AI V-BAT

Editorial summaries

Vector (and Trinity)

Quantum Systems' Vector is a fixed-wing VTOL tactical ISR (reconnaissance) drone from the Munich-based new-defense maker founded in 2015 by ex-Bundeswehr pilot Florian Seibel. It is sold to governments, not consumers, so there is no consumer price. Its fielding is the cleanest of the new-defense set: Germany-financed deliveries to Ukraine reached 619 Vector units by April 2025 (up from 438 across 2022-2023 orders), alongside 100 donated Trinity survey drones.

The company raised a EUR 160M Series C in May 2025 (the first European dual-use unicorn) and a EUR 180M round in November 2025 at roughly a EUR 3B / $3.5B valuation. On AI substance the Vector is genuinely AI-powered ISR (onboard detection, combat-reported acoustic artillery detection), but it is a reconnaissance platform whose autonomy is processing-grade, not strike-grade: a lower autonomy ambition than Anduril or Helsing, and much of the AI detail rests on company description.

Recorded at commercial maturity on fielding evidence. A plan to build 400 Vector drones in Ukraine, EUR 300-500M revenue projections, and a possible 2026 IPO are claimed but not verified.

Shield AI V-BAT

Shield AI's V-BAT (military designation MQ-35) is a Group 3 VTOL fixed-wing ISR and targeting drone that takes off and lands vertically from a small footprint, powered by the Hivemind autonomy stack and built to operate in GPS- and communications-denied environments. Its autonomy is verified-substantive: Hivemind is genuine fielded onboard autonomy, and V-BAT is the new-defense cohort's strongest deployment anchor with two verified deployments on the registry (the US Coast Guard and Ukraine).

The Block upgrade adds SATCOM and a heavy-fuel engine. Shield AI, founded in San Diego in 2015, sells V-BAT as defense procurement equipment on contract; there is no consumer price.

Common questions

How do Vector (and Trinity) and Shield AI V-BAT differ?

On DEPLOY's record, Shield AI V-BAT is further along: at the production stage versus Vector (and Trinity) at the commercial stage, as of 2026. Shield AI V-BAT has more capabilities independently verified as autonomous (1 vs 0). Shield AI V-BAT has more verified real-world deployments (3 vs 1). Vector (and Trinity) is at the commercial stage; Shield AI V-BAT at the production stage.

What is the difference between Vector (and Trinity) and Shield AI V-BAT?

Vector (and Trinity) and Shield AI V-BAT are both aerial robots on the DEPLOY registry. They differ in maker, maturity, price, verified deployments, and how much of their autonomy is independently verified. See the table above for the full head-to-head; each figure is sourced.

Is Vector (and Trinity) or Shield AI V-BAT more autonomous?

Shield AI V-BAT has more capabilities independently verified as autonomous on the DEPLOY registry than Vector (and Trinity). DEPLOY counts a capability as autonomous only when verified at a real deployment, not from a demo or a vendor claim.

Which has more verified deployments, Vector (and Trinity) or Shield AI V-BAT?

Shield AI V-BAT has more verified deployments (3) on the DEPLOY registry than Vector (and Trinity) (1). DEPLOY counts a deployment only when confirmed at a named site with a primary source.

Recent coverage

Shield AI and Taiwan's NCSIST complete autonomous swarm exercise and expand sovereign AI and Autonomy effortsShield AI V-BAT · shield.ai · 2026-08-05
L3Harris and Shield AI complete autonomous electronic warfare flight testShield AI V-BAT · shield.ai · 2026-07-16
Quantum Systems raises $1.2B to expand drone production and deploymentsVector (and Trinity) · Robotics Business Review · 2026-07-06
Quantum Systems Doubles Valuation to $8B in New RoundVector (and Trinity) · Bloomberg Technology · 2026-07-03

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All dronesRegistry Every verified record in the category.Vector (and Trinity)Model The full model page.Shield AI V-BATModel The full model page.Quantum SystemsRecord The maker's verified record.Shield AIRecord The maker's verified record.Shield AI HivemindBrain The AI system behind it.

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