Shield AI and GE Aerospace light off X-BAT engine, completing thrust vectoring nozzle integration and clearing path to vertical flight

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This post details the successful integration and engine light-off testing of the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle (AVEN) for Shield AI's X-BAT aircraft, a critical step towards vertical flight. Engineers modified and integrated the AVEN into GE Aerospace's F110-GE-129E engine, verifying system performance through coordinated nozzle movement sequences. This adaptation of previously developed hardware for vertical flight requirements, including fast gimbaling for attitude control, represents a significant engineering achievement in accelerating development.