Shield AI partners with Sedaro to demonstrate autonomous satellite operations

WASHINGTON — Shield AI, a defense technology firm known for autonomous aircraft software, is venturing into the space sector through a partnership with Sedaro, a startup whose cloud-based simulation tools are used by the U.S. Space Force and major defense contractors. The companies plan to adapt Shield AI’s Hivemind Pilot system for satellite operations, aiming to show how spacecraft could manage more tasks without relying on ground controllers.

Under the agreement announced Dec. 3, Shield AI will use Sedaro’s digital engineering environment as its primary development and testing platform for space scenarios. Hivemind, in turn, will become Sedaro’s preferred autonomy software for future on-orbit demonstrations.

“The strategic partnership with Sedaro and its technology is a critical enabler of at-the-edge, in-orbit autonomy,” said Christian Gutierrez, vice president of Hivemind Solutions at Shield AI.

Autonomy in orbit

The move brings Shield AI’s “AI pilot” software into a new domain. Hivemind allows aircraft, drones and other platforms to “perceive, decide, and act together,” enabling operations in GPS and communication-denied environments. Shield AI has been working with large defense primes to embed the system in aerial, maritime and ground vehicles, but the Sedaro partnership is its first aimed at space.

The timing aligns with increased interest in AI technologies to give satellites more freedom to maneuver and respond to threats. Most spacecraft still depend on operators on the ground for routine orbit adjustments, collision avoidance and mission updates.

Across the space industry, companies are exploring AI tools for tasks like debris tracking and data analysis. More advanced autonomy could let satellites reposition themselves, coordinate with other spacecraft or investigate anomalies without waiting for commands. Those capabilities are increasingly seen as essential for constellations expected to operate in contested environments.

Sedaro’s simulation platform 

Sedaro’s cloud-based simulation system lets engineers build and test digital models of satellites and constellations at scale.

Using the platform, “Shield AI can rapidly iterate autonomous behaviors for proximity operations, swarm coordination, defensive counter-space, and cognitive battle management across constellations,” said Robbie Robertson, CEO and co-founder of Sedaro.

He said the teams will model a progression of operations from traditional ground-centric control to in-orbit decision making, “paving the way for scalable, autonomous spacecraft operations in contested and communications-limited environments.”

The industry’s shift toward larger, distributed constellations has reinforced demand for autonomy that reduces dependence on real-time human oversight. For Shield AI, the Sedaro partnership marks an entry point into that market. For Sedaro, it adds a high-profile autonomy partner as military customers evaluate software-driven approaches to on-orbit operations.