South Korea’s sole tank manufacturer has partnered with a California-based defense technology firm to develop artificial intelligence capabilities for military drones, marking another step in the convergence of traditional weapons platforms with autonomous systems.
Hyundai Rotem signed an agreement with Shield AI at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition on Oct. 23 to jointly develop AI-based multipurpose drone operation technologies, according to a company statement released Friday.
The collaboration centers on Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise platform, an autonomous combat software system designed to enable mission execution without human intervention. The software handles battlefield situation awareness, information sharing, autonomous judgment and cooperative strike missions.
Hyundai Rotem plans to first integrate autonomous drones into its next-generation ground weapon systems, then develop swarm control capabilities for unmanned vehicles including its HR-SHERPA platform and quadruped robots. The final phase targets integrated command-and-control systems across multiple unmanned platforms.
The partnership responds to evolving warfare patterns where front lines become less defined and drones play expanded roles in reconnaissance and combat. Shield AI’s software has been deployed on various military platforms, including the U.S. Air Force’s experimental autonomous F-16 fighter.
The agreement represents part of Hyundai Rotem’s broader diversification beyond traditional armored vehicles into aerospace and advanced propulsion systems.
