V-BAT (MQ-35)

Overview

A 161-pound tail-sitting drone that takes off and lands vertically from a small deck or a clearing, then flies horizontally for 13 hours at up to 18,000 feet on a single heavy-fuel engine. Hivemind runs onboard with visual odometry, so it keeps navigating when GPS and communications are jammed, which is why it has stayed useful in Ukraine where cheaper drones have not. It carries electro-optical and mid-wave infrared sensors and is flown by five US services plus a widening list of allied navies and armies.

In serial production and operationally deployed; competing for up to $800M in Navy ISR task orders since April 2026.

Key Specs