U.S. defense startup Shield AI teams up with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to build drone units! Founder Zeng Guoguang's Taiwan connections revealed

Taiwan’s national defense autonomy and unmanned combat capabilities see new progress. On the 11th, U.S. defense AI company Shield AI announced that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to introduce its core artificial intelligence platform Hivemind into Taiwan’s self-developed unmanned systems, accelerating the development, verification, and deployment of localized AI flight control and autonomous combat capabilities.

Notably, Shield AI founder Brandon Tseng is a third-generation Chinese American, whose Chinese name is Zeng Guoguang. He comes from a Taiwanese diplomatic family in the U.S. and has served in the U.S. Navy SEALs. In an interview, he stated that his father was born in Taipei, and his grandfather participated in combat against Japan during World War II. After the war, he came to Taiwan with the Kuomintang government and served as a diplomat, stationed for a long time in various South American countries. His family background has deep roots in Taiwan.

Shield AI assists NCSIST in building drone units

The focus of this cooperation is on “localizing AI pilots.” According to the agreement, NCSIST will utilize the Hivemind platform to accelerate the development of domestically produced AI flight control systems capable of autonomous missions and multi-unit cooperative combat, integrating them into Taiwan’s self-developed various unmanned vehicles. In the future, a single ground control station will allow one operator to monitor and command multiple unmanned systems simultaneously, reducing manpower needs and enhancing combat efficiency.

Shield AI will also provide two technical support modes, including using the Hivemind software development toolkit to help NCSIST integrate AI functions into domestic platforms, and offering complete ready-made integration solutions for demonstrations and testing of multi-purpose unmanned systems, ensuring stable operation in actual mission environments.

Defense startup Shield AI opens office in Taipei 101

Shield AI co-founder Brandon Tseng stated that the company has established an office in Taipei 101 and is actively recruiting local high-tech talent, with long-term investments in Taiwan’s defense and industrial ecosystem. He pointed out that through collaboration with NCSIST, Taiwan is building a drone force equipped with advanced AI flight control capabilities. Even in situations where GPS or communications are disrupted, these drones can still operate autonomously and complete missions. “In the next five years, Shield AI will continue to expand its investment in Taiwan to support the development of Taiwan’s defense capabilities.”

Shield AI’s core system Hivemind features perception, decision-making, and action capabilities

Hivemind is Shield AI’s core artificial intelligence system, equipped with three main abilities: perception, decision-making, and action. Unlike traditional autonomous driving systems that can only fly along preset routes, Hivemind can replan routes in real-time, avoid no-fly zones and obstacles, and respond to sudden environmental changes to safely complete missions without human intervention. The platform combines simulation training, AI development tools, and edge computing capabilities, maintaining stable operation even in complex environments with GPS or communication disruptions.

Last year, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with AIDC to promote deployment and maintenance of its products in Taiwan, and officially established an office in Taipei, demonstrating a strategy from technological adoption toward long-term local operation.

This article originally appeared on ABMedia, titled “U.S. Defense Startup Shield AI Collaborates with NCSIST to Build Drone Units! Founder Zeng Guoguang’s Taiwan Roots Revealed.”