Romanian naval officer injured by Shield AI V-BAT drone propeller during US exercise
A Romanian naval officer was severely injured on 12 May 2026 when her hand was caught in the propeller of a Shield AI V-BAT drone during a military training exercise off Texas, resulting in the loss of two fingers and a third finger fracture. Shield AI attributed the incident to a breach of safety procedures rather than a product defect, while the Romanian Ministry of Defence initiated an investigation. Reuters reported that the incident was not the first of its kind and that Shield AI has allegedly concealed design problems from customers.
What happened
A female officer of the Romanian Naval Forces was injured on 12 May 2026 during a military training exercise aboard a vessel off the coast of Texas. Her hand was caught in the propeller of a V-BAT drone manufactured by Shield AI, resulting in the loss of two fingers and a fractured third finger.
The officer underwent complex reattachment surgery at University Medical Center in New Orleans on 12 and 16 May, but her condition deteriorated and she was transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Shield AI stated the incident was caused by a breach of established safety procedures, not a product defect, but did not specify the nature of the breach.
Reported impact
The Romanian officer suffered severe hand injuries including the loss of two fingers and a fracture to a third finger.
Index analysis
Reuters investigation indicated that the V-BAT drone faces design problems and that Shield AI has concealed defects from customers. The incident was reportedly not the first such occurrence involving the aircraft.
Governance controls
The Romanian Ministry of Defence stated it was investigating the incident and that it would be premature to draw conclusions about liability or whether the incident could have been prevented. The Romanian Naval Forces maintained their 30 million dollar contract with Shield AI following the incident.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.