TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology said on Thursday it plans to use Shield AI’s Hivemind platform to accelerate development of Taiwan’s domestically developed AI flight-control system for autonomous drone missions.

This would enable a single operator at a ground control station to simultaneously monitor and command multiple unmanned systems, according to an NCSIST press release, per CNA.

NCSIST said it is using the Hivemind software development kit to facilitate integration into domestically developed platforms. The software development kit “serves as a foundational framework, providing reference architectures, extensive autonomy libraries, and a full suite of simulation, testing, and analysis tools,” Shield AI said.

NCSIST said that unlike traditional autopilot systems that carry out missions only along preplanned routes, Hivemind can replan paths in real time, avoid no-fly zones, steer clear of obstacles, and respond to unexpected situations “safely and effectively,” without human intervention. The platform can also maintain reliable performance in complex environments where GPS or communications are limited or unavailable, it said.

Shield AI co-founder and President Brandon Tseng said the company has a long-standing commitment to supporting Taiwan’s military and industrial ecosystem, per the NCSIST press release. Shield AI has established an office in Taipei 101 and continues to recruit Taiwan’s high-tech talent for related R&D and technical work, Tseng said.

Through its partnership with NCSIST, the company will help Taiwan build unmanned systems with AI flight-control capabilities, enabling coordinated operations and autonomous mission execution even in environments where GPS and communications are disrupted, Tseng said. He added that over the next few years, Shield AI will support development of related defense capabilities and technology systems.