Exploring Multimodal Logistics and the Rise of Stablecoins

Keller Cliffton joins John Collison to talk about Zipline’s journey to 115 million miles flown, the lost art of American airplanes, building 50k drones a year in California, getting to 99.9% reliability, and US vs. Chinese manufacturing. 

Books referenced:

• The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
• Skunk Works by Ben Rich
• Apple in China by Patrick McGee

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(00:45) 115 million miles flown

(04:10) Why drone delivery took so long

(07:38) Getting started in Rwanda

(13:31) 51% reduction in maternal mortality

(15:33) Access vs. waste

(21:45) Scaling globally

(24:05) Zipline’s Platform 1 

(25:50) The Right Stuff

(27:22) Drone design and safety

(30:12) Getting to 99.9% reliability

(34:39) Multimodal logistics

(38:15) Zipline’s Platform 2

(44:03) US drone regs and the FAA

(48:02) Progress and stagnation in US aviation

(51:30) If Keller ran the FAA

(54:24) 30% WoW growth in Texas

(58:25) Why Texas and not California?

(01:00:28) Building 50k drones in California

(01:06:18) US vs. Chinese manufacturing

(01:11:30) Advice for hardtech founders