Shield and Leonardo Partner on Hivemind Autonomy for Proteus Uncrewed Rotorcraft

On Oct. 29, 2026, Shield announced an agreement with Leonardo to use its Hivemind software to advance autonomy for Proteus, Leonardo’s uncrewed rotorcraft. Using the Hivemind Software Development Kit, Leonardo engineers will develop autonomy for rotary-wing missions, including anti-submarine warfare and contested logistics.

Proteus is a vertical take-off and landing technology demonstrator developed with the Royal Navy and U.K. Defense Innovation to inform the Royal Navy’s Maritime Aviation Transformation strategy through 2040. It first flew in early 2026 with Leonardo-designed autonomy on board.