Crossing the Valley Ep. 20: Integration as a Superpower
Sep 11, 2024
In this engaging conversation, John Goodson, CEO and co-founder of Darkhive, shares insights from his journey transitioning from a special operator to an entrepreneur in the tactical drone industry. He discusses the critical need for integration in defense technology and how his company addresses gaps in the sector. Goodson highlights the importance of aligning personal values with technology development, navigating government contracts, and fostering an ethos rooted in service and community. His experiences shed light on the evolving dynamics of military and civilian collaboration.
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Integration Must Be Designed In
- Integration is often an afterthought and causes battlefield systems to fail to interoperate.
- Build hardware and software that are open and discoverable so users and program offices can sustain and evolve them.
Drones Crashed And Were Grounded
- John recalled expensive fixed-wing drones crashing repeatedly in Afghanistan until commanders stopped using them.
- That experience shaped his view that many fielded drones were impractical for ground units.
Commercial Drones Miss Warfighter Needs
- Modern commercial drones often fail operational constraints: cost, fragility, and design for pilots not ground users.
- DarkHive targeted that gap by marrying affordability, ruggedness, and open integration for warfighters.