The Drone Ultimatum
Episodes
Turning Water Into Hydrogen for Military Drones & Backup Power | Rick Harlow
28 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rick Harlow, founder of NovaSpark Energy, joins the show to break down how his company turns water into hydrogen for military drones, backup power, an...
How The Iran War is Changing Defense Tech Investing | Patrick Blumenthal
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Blumenthal (Investor at Anomaly Fund) returns to break down how venture capital actually works in defense, what makes founders worth backing, ...
How Defense Tech Investors Evaluate Startups | Jocelyn Kinsey (DFJ Growth)
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jocelyn Kinsey, Partner at DFJ Growth, joins us for a deep dive into defense tech investing, startup strategy, and the realities of building in the na...
Former Army Ranger on Drone Warfare, Ukraine, and The Future of War | James Lechner
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for our newsletterJim's book, With My ShieldFormer U.S. Army Ranger James Lechner joins the podcast to discuss modern warfare, drone comba...
Building Nuclear Reactors for the New Industrial Era | Isaiah Taylor, Valar Atomics
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for our newsletter Isaiah Taylor, founder and CEO of Valar Atomics, joins the show to discuss why energy is becoming a national security issue...
The Future of Space Security and Homeland Defense | Clayton Swope
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for our newsletterClayton Swope, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project and Senior Fellow in the Defense and Security Department, j...
Autonomous Cargo for the Navy: Shipboard VTOL Logistics at Scale | Charles Acknin & Isaac Roberts
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re joined by Charles Acknin and Isaac Roberts from Skyways, the Austin-based aerospace company building long-range autonomous cargo aircraf...
Reinventing Missile Production with Liquid Propulsion | Chandler Luzsicza, Galadyne
15 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Chandler Luzsicza, Founder and CEO of Galadyne, joins us to break down why he’s betting on liquid propulsion to reinvent long-range missile producti...
Air Defense, Counter-UAS, and Re-Industrializing the US Defense Base | Heather Armentrout, Kongsberg US
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Heather Armentrout, President and General Manager of Kongsberg US, joins the show for a candid look at how a European defense leader is scaling real p...
Inside The Russia-Ukraine War: Capital, Tech, and Geopolitics | Perry Boyle and Denys Gurak
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The war in Ukraine, defense tech, procurement, and private capital are colliding in real time, and most people in the West are missing what matters. M...
Shipbuilding, USVs, and the Economics of Naval Autonomy | Austin Gray
24 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Austin Gray, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Water Autonomy, returns to the show to break down what it actually takes to build large unm...
Building American Drones in the New Age of Drone Warfare | Olaf Hichwa
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Olaf Hichwa joins the podcast to break down the reality of modern drone warfare, FPVs, and why small drones now drive the majority of battlefield casu...
Modern War’s Cost Problem and America’s Response | Rep. Pat Harrigan (NC-10)
09 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10), former Army Special Forces officer and defense manufacturer, joins the show to talk about why he ran for office afte...
Labs vs Startups, GR vs PEO, and Selling Into DoD Without Losing Your Mind | Scott Sanders
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Scott Sanders is the Chief Growth Officer at Forterra. Scott joins us to talk about counter-UAS, unmanned systems, and why scaling hardware is fundame...
Understanding Modern China, From AI to Taiwan | Shannon Vaughn
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shannon Vaughn breaks down how modern China actually works, why the CCP’s primary objective is regime survival, and how that shapes everything from ...
Scaling Edge AI and Robotics in the Real World | Hunter Dunbar (Audio Only)
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Defense tech, robotics, and edge AI are moving fast, but scaling them in the real world is hard. Hunter Dunbar, Chief Product Officer at Luxonis, join...
Building Low-Cost Deep Strike Weapons for Modern War | Mike Weigand
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Weigand, Founder and CEO of Aventra Defense Systems, joins the show to unpack a radically different approach to long-range strike and mass precis...
The Rare Earths Problem: Inside America’s Supply Chain Fight | Drew Horne
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Drew Horne, founder and CEO of GreenMet, joins the show to break down the rare earth crisis and what the United States needs to do to remain competiti...
Defense Production, China, and American Power | Morgan Murphy
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Morgan Murphy joins the show to talk national security, defense manufacturing, and why he’s running for U.S. Senate in Alabama. Murphy is a 26-year ...
Why True Drone Swarms Don't Exist Yet | Emma Bates
08 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emma Bates, co-founder and CEO of Cachai, joins the show to break down what true drone swarming actually means and why almost no one has achieved it. ...
How to Redefine Battlefield Logistics with 3D Printing | Dan Magy
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Magy, co-founder and CEO of Firestorm, returns to the show for a live episode recorded at Battlefield 2027. Firestorm is building deployable, modu...
Jet Engines & Reinventing Oil Systems for Next-Gen Weaponry | Rob Sladen
25 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Sladen is the Chairman and CEO of Zulu Pods, a company pioneering next-generation lubrication and fluid delivery systems for aerospace and defense...
The GovCon Game: Relationships and Red Tape | John Ferry
18 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John Ferry returns to the show for one of the most blunt conversations yet about the defense startup ecosystem. From the realities of selling to gover...
Inside AV Inc: Drones, Directed Energy, and Defense Innovation | Church Hutton
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Church Hutton, Chief Growth Officer at AV Inc. (formerly AeroVironment), joins the show for a deep dive into the future of autonomous systems, directe...
Autonomous Fighter Drones and the Next Era of Air Superiority | Jeff Wright, SplashOne Robotics
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Wright, founder and CEO of SplashOne Robotics, joins the show to discuss how his company is developing small, purpose-built fighter drones to red...
Solid Rocket Motors and America’s Hypersonic “Sputnik Moment” | Max Vozoff
04 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Max Vozoff, Chief Technology Officer at X-Bow Systems, joins the show to discuss the urgent challenges and opportunities in America’s solid rocket m...
FAA, DJI, and the Next Era of U.S. Drone Innovation | Todd Graetz, CEO, Aerolane
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Todd Graetz, co-founder and CEO of Aerolane, joins the show to share how his aviation startup is reimagining air cargo with autonomous glider-based ai...
Advanced Radar Detection, Modular Sensing, and Dual-Use Innovation | Jon Dandrow, CEO, Radenso
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Dandrow, CEO of Radenso and Strikeman, joins the show to talk about building advanced radar detection systems, modular sensing hardware, and consu...
Modular Jamming, AI Detection, and the Rise of DroneShield | Matt McCrann
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Matt McCrann, U.S. Navy veteran and CEO of DroneShield US, joins the show to talk about the evolving fight against drone threats. From handheld jamme...
From Industrial Robots to Defense Infrastructure | Troy Demmer, Gecko Robotics
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Troy Demmer is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Gecko Robotics, the industrial tech company behind wall-climbing inspection robots and the ...
The Reality of Selling to the Pentagon | Mike Canty
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Canty, co-founder and CEO of Armaments Research Company, joins the show to discuss the future of defense tech and the realities of building hardw...
The Future of Drone Swarms and Counter-UAS | Kyle Hardy & Ashkan Bayatpour
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kyle Hardy, CEO of Hardy Dynamics, and Ashkan Bayatpour, U.S. Navy Reserve Officer, join the show to break down the future of drone warfare and the ch...
Inside Ukraine's Drone War and the Defense Tech Bubble | Patrick Blumenthal
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Defense tech insider Patrick Blumenthal breaks down the latest developments in Ukraine's drone warfare evolution and the Vector vs. RedCat lawsuit...
Russia’s Next Move: Middle East, Arms, and Influence | Matt Tavares & Anna Borshchevskaya
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russia’s ambitions extend far beyond Ukraine.In this episode, we’re joined by two experts with deep regional and strategic insight: former Army in...
Reinventing Radar: Building the Future of ISR from Space | Andrew Peterson
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Peterson is the co-founder and CEO of Array Labs, a startup building 3D imaging radar satellites to compete with billion-dollar airborne ISR pl...
Fundraising, Focus, and Failure: Hard Truths About Defense Startups | Kirsten Bartok Touw
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kirsten Bartok Touw is the co-founder and Managing Partner of New Vista Capital, a venture firm focused exclusively on aerospace, space, and defense. ...
Building Unmanned Warships for the Navy | Austin Gray, Blue Water Autonomy
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Austin Gray, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Blue Water Autonomy, joins the podcast to break down the future of autonomous naval warfare.From...
Autonomous Boats and the Future of Naval Warfare | Paul Lwin, HavocAI
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Lwin is the co-founder and CEO of HavocAI, a defense startup building collaborative autonomous surface vessels. In this episode, Paul breaks down...
The Future of the Army: Autonomy, AI, and Combat Innovation | General James Rainey
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
General James Rainey leads the U.S. Army’s effort to prepare for the next war. As the Commanding General of Army Futures Command, he’s focused on ...
Can the U.S. Still Build Things? Fixing the Industrial Base | Miles Arnone (Podcast #34)
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Miles Arnone, CEO of Re:Build Manufacturing, joins the podcast to explain why American manufacturing fell behind—and how to bring it back. We dive i...
Defense, Drones & Developing New Talent | David Ruth, Ph.D.
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
David Ruth, Dean of STEM at the University of Austin and retired Navy captain, joins the show to discuss the future of technical education, the ethics...
Ukraine’s Spider Web Drone Attack & The Future of War | John Dulin (Podcast #32)
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Modern Intelligence Founder and CEO John Dulin joins us in-studio for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of autonomous warfare. We break down t...
From Cartels to Combat Zones: Mapping the Global Drone Threat | Mike Monnik (Podcast #31)
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Monnik, CEO of DroneSec, breaks down the global drone war that’s unfolding in real time. From prison drops to battlefield swarms, Monnik reveal...
From Memes to Military Tech: Investing in the New Defense Era | Patrick Blumenthal (Podcast #30)
17 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Venture capitalist and Anomaly Fund founder Patrick Blumenthal joins the pod to talk frontier tech, reindustrialization, and the future of defense. (0...
How to Sell to the U.S. Military: OTAs, 4023 & Sole Source Deals | Travis James (Podcast #29)
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Government contracting, but with zero fluff.In this episode, we sit down with Travis James—former Army contracting officer and now Head of Contracts...
From Iraq to AI Drones: How War Has Changed (And How It Hasn’t) | Chris Jennings & Mike Rodriguez
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it feel like to be under fire? How are drones changing warfare? And why does modern military tech so often miss the mark?In this episode, sp...
The Brutal Reality of Building in Defense Tech | John Ferry (Podcast #27)
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most VC-backed defense startups stall, pivot, and eventually die. John Ferry has a few ideas why.As President of Trenchant Analytics and a deeply conn...
From NASA to Startup: Building the Future of Satellite Imaging | Vishnu Sridhar (Podcast #26)
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if satellite imaging could go beyond RGB and actually see the molecular makeup of our planet? In this episode, the former NASA engineer turned co...
From Combat Zones to Satellites: The Future of Earth Intelligence | Luke Fischer (Podcast #25)
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Fischer is the Co-Founder and CEO of SkyFi, an industry-leading Earth Observation marketplace company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Before co-f...
The Future of Defense Tech Investing | Jackson Moses (Podcast #24)
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A proven serial entrepreneur and early defense tech investor, Jackson Moses currently serves as the Founder and Managing Partner of Silent Ventures, a...
Laser Weapons, Defense Startups, Reshoring U.S. Manufacturing | Michael LaFramboise (Podcast #23)
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michael LaFramboise is the co-founder and CEO of Aurelius Systems, a defense technology startup building the next generation of autonomous counter-UAS...
America’s Intelligence Wake-Up Call | Simone Ledeen (Podcast #22)
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Simone Ledeen has served in various U.S. Government and business leadership positions, most recently as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for ...
Inside the Defense Tech Boom: Investors, Entrepreneurs, and the DoD | Podcast #21 with Live Audience
15 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Follow the show and subscribe for more!Chapters / Topics:IntroEpirus Fundraising AnnouncementDual Use vs. Military-Use OnlyR&D and ProcurementHow ...
How China’s Rise is Changing Economics, Technology, and War | April Herlevi, Ph.D. (Podcast #20)
08 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is China the new global superpower? April Herlevi, a senior research scientist at CNA and non-resident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research...
Unmanned Surface Vessels, Drone Swarms, & Deterring China | Bryan Clark (Podcast #19)
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bryan Clark is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute. He is an expert in naval operations...
Breaking Into Defense: How Startups Can Work with the Army | Dr. Casey Perley (Podcast #18)
22 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Casey Perley joins the show to talk about the Army Applications Lab, innovation in defense, and how startups can work with the Army.👉 Watch one...
Drones, Capitol Hill, and Preparing for Future Conflicts | Nic Adams (Podcast #17)
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nic Adams joins the show to talk defense, Capitol Hill, drones, and preparing for future conflicts.(0:00) Intro(1:20) Nic's background - Army Inte...
AI, Drones, and Space Weapons: The Next Era of Defense Tech | Clayton Swope (Podcast Ep. #16)
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do you think about AI and space warfare? Leave a comment!(0:00) Intro(1:08) Discussing Drone Swarm Threats(2:45) Working for CIA & a Think Ta...
The Drone Problem, Regulations, and Aviation | Rob Thompson (Podcast Ep. #15)
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Thompson discusses aviation, drones, regulations, and his family legacy. Rob is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subjects of avia...
Satellites, Investing, and Defense Tech's Future | Gabe Dominocielo (Podcast Ep. #14)
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gabe joins the show and talks space, satellites, defense tech, investing, and running companies. (0:00) Intro (0:55) How Umbra Started (3:52) Gabe ...
Modern Warfare: Drones, AI, and USVs | David Broyles, Ph.D. (Podcast Ep. #13)
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From WWII mine warfare to AI-powered drones - exploring next-gen military tech with defense industry insights. (0:00) Intro (1:13) CNA Origins (World...
Power, Tech, and The Wars of The Future | Donald Stoker, Ph.D. (Podcast #12)
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Donald Stoker discusses military history, national strategies, and today’s global state. 0:00 Intro 1:11 About Don 3:44 The Korean War 11:01 North ...
Manufacturing, Autonomy, & The Future of American Defense | Dhruva Rajendra (Podcast Ep. 11)
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dhruva Rajendra discusses autonomy, defense innovation, mergers, and lessons from Ukraine. Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (0:35) This Week in Startups Pod...
Drones for Defense and Public Safety, Autonomy, and Scaling To Win | Mike Fiuk (Podcast Ep. 10)
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Fiuk shares Darkhive’s vision, roadmap, and insights on selling and tech in defense. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (1:00) Who is Mike Fiuk? (4:27) ...
The Future of Aerospace, Thiel Fellow Life & Finding True Purpose | Alex Taylor (Podcast Ep. 9)
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Alex Taylor shares insights on aerospace, the Thiel Fellowship, and purpose-driven American innovation. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (01:37 Why Alex Start...
New Drones, Logistics Tech, and Building Defense Startups | Dan Magy (Podcast Ep. 8)
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Magy, co-founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, talks the new drone and logistics tech at Firestorm, his experiences in startups and defense tech, and...
West Point & Army Life, Africa, Drones, Ukraine, & Nonprofit Work | Doug Livermore (Podcast Ep. 7)
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Doug Livermore talks West Point, drones in warfare, deploying to Africa, Ukraine, and more. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (2:06) "College Life" at West Poi...
Episode 6: Matt Tavares - Founder, Protocol Media Labs
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Leave a comment and review, and follow for more! Topics: (0:00) Intro (1:36) Matt's Warfighting & Intelligence Background (3:30) The Future of Ar...
Episode 5: Scott Sanders - Chief Growth Officer, Forterra
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Comment, leave a review, and follow for more! Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (1:16) Pryzm, not sponsored (1:56) Scott Being Early on Drone Warfare (6:35) D...
Episode 4: Ryan Farris - Co-founder and COO/CFO, Visto360.ai
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Follow, leave a review, and turn on notifications for new episodes weekly! Timestamps/Topics: (0:00) Intro (1:30) Ryan's Background (2:58) Problems w...
Episode 3: Brice Cooper - CSO, Allen Control Systems
12 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brice Cooper is a former Green Beret, former head of SOCOM C-UAS, and the Chief Strategy Officer of Allen Control Systems. Follow for more! Leave us a...
Drone Swarms & The New Tech of Warfare | Olaf Hichwa (Podcast Ep. 2)
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Olaf Hichwa is the co-founder and CTO of Neros Technologies, a defense tech startup building vertically integrated development of unmanned aerial syst...
Episode 1: Dhruva Rajendra - Co-founder and CEO, Deterrence
27 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our premier episode featuring Dhruva Rajendra, co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, a defense tech startup company building advanced autonomous manufactu...
TRAILER | Episode 1: Dhruva Rajendra - Co-founder and CEO, Deterrence
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Don't miss our premier episode featuring Dhruva Rajendra, co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, a defense tech startup company building advanced auton...