This week, Ryan Connell sits down with Scott Sanders, Chief Growth Officer of Forterra, to talk about the advancements and challenges of integrating autonomous systems in defense and industrial sectors. Scott shares his insights on the deployment of full stack and ground autonomy, balancing human and machine roles, and accounting for the diverse terrains of war zones. He also dives into the financial feasibility and operational reliability of autonomous solutions, the nuances of defense acquisitions in this space, and the importance of balancing cost, safety, and efficiency in both military and industrial applications. Tune in to learn all about the future of autonomy in defense.

TIMESTAMPS:

(0:43) Scott’s journey from Marine Corps to Forterra

(1:25) What is full end-to-end autonomy?

(3:52) How to ensure reliability and safety in autonomous systems

(7:17) Balancing hardware and software in autonomy

(11:37) Pricing strategies for DoD vs. commercial markets

(16:31) The future of autonomy and human roles

(19:10) How to manage risk in autonomous system

(23:51) What are the acquisition strategies in this space?

(28:02) Tip for navigating defense acquisition as a small business

LINKS:

Follow Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-connell-8413a03a/

Follow Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottbsanders/

Forterra: https://www.forterra.com/

CDAO: https://www.ai.mil/

Tradewinds: https://www.tradewindai.com/