The Drone Ultimatum

Rob Thompson, the founder of the CUAS Coalition and a third-generation commercial pilot, shares captivating insights into drone technology and aviation regulations. He discusses the evolution of drones from military to civilian use, emphasizing the complexities around regulations and counter-drone measures. With a humorous touch, he explores a controversial airport's legacy and the government's role in drone policy. From using lasers in aviation to innovative defense applications for blimps, Rob’s expertise makes the future of drones sound both exciting and challenging.

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 Before Umbra (6:28) Having a "Real Job" Before Startups (8:05) Drones over California (9:19) Investing in Firehawk Aerospace (13:24) Acquisitions in Defense (20:08) Investing and Getting Funded (23:41) Having No Money in Tech = Advantage? (27:16) Outlook on Aeon (28:33) Outdated Legacy Prime Contract Models (32:19) Steve's Startup Idea & "The Valley of Death" (36:01) The Startup Game is to Stay Alive (38:15) DJI Changes & Drone Manufacturing (43:05) Umbra's Plan for the Future (47:36) TV Shows & Documentaries (49:46) Selling "The Vision" (52:23) More TV Shows (54:39) Locations (58:16) Vision for Umbra (1:01:06) Why We Changed The Pod Name (1:02:40) Crypto, Mentors, Naming Things (1:10:23) Outro Gabe Dominocielo is the President and co-founder of Umbra, a technology company specializing in advanced space systems to both commercial and government clients. Under his leadership, Umbra has distinguished itself by offering the highest-resolution commercial satellite images available, utilizing proprietary technology to capture clear imagery through clouds and at night. Before establishing Umbra in 2015, Dominocielo co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of a legal services firm whose panel attorneys achieved over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements. Umbra: https://umbra.space/ Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541 X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/ Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

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 War II) (5:08) IEDs in Iraq (12:58) Mines in the Pacific (15:46) Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) (24:21) Drones (29:03) Why and how to use USVs? (42:40) Drone countermeasures (45:41) CNA Funding and Info Flow (52:35) Managing a Team vs Independent Contributor (56:19) AI & LLMs (59:28) Is AI really a timesaver? (1:04:25) AI is a misnomer (1:07:25) The Future of AI (1:12:57) Separating signal from the noise (1:15:15) Synthetic Data (1:18:35) CNA's Year Ahead (1:21:35) Outro -- David Broyles, Ph.D., is a Research Program Director and specialist in cyber operations, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy, special operations, and information warfighting at CNA, an independent, nonprofit research and analysis organization. David has served as a CNA field representative to numerous commands, including United States Fleet Forces Command and those in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has a doctorate in chemistry from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. -- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541 X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedroneultimatum/ -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/ #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #ai #artificialintelligence #llm #navy #navalwarfare

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 Korea and Iran Today 13:11 War in Ukraine 23:29 Don's Class at Nat'l Defense Uni 27:33 The American Revolution 32:28 Wars of Expansion 34:35 First Gulf War & Military Buildup 40:16 Karl Von Clausewitz 47:28 Why America Loses Wars 54:50 The Impact of Drones on War 1:06:00 Academia 1:09:28 American History Rhyming? 1:14:03 Nuclear Weapons 1:16:18 Purpose and Power, Don's Book 1:22:17 Revisionist Powers & Modern War 1:33:40 Don's Future Plans 1:38:20 Outro Donald Stoker is a Professor of National Security and Resource Strategy at the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. He was previously a Professor for the U.S. Naval War College program. He received his PhD in Military and Diplomatic History from Florida State University and has published more than 70 books and articles on strategy and military and foreign affairs topics. Follow Professor Stoker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldstoker/ Buy Professor Stoker's Books! Purpose and Power: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1009257277/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk Why America Loses Wars: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1009220861/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk Clausewitz: His Life and Work: https://www.amazon.com/Clausewitz-Life-Work-Donald-Stoker/dp/0199357943 Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki Steve's Company (Allen Control Systems): www.allencontrolsystems.com #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #history #militaryhistory

Dhruva Rajendra discusses autonomy, defense innovation, mergers, and lessons from Ukraine. Timestamps: (0:00) Intro (0:35) This Week in Startups Podcast (2:40) Michael Saylor & MicroStrategy (5:36) Steve's Review of Wicked (10:21) Company Updates (13:33) Fuses (17:42) BlueHalo-AeroVironment Merger (25:55) Elon's F-35 Debate (36:49) The Future is Autonomy (40:58) Podcast Rebrand (44:50) America's Missing Pieces in Defense (50:00) Not Learning From Ukraine (56:17) Small Drone Markets & Regulations (1:06:40) Building Ahead of Requirement (1:11:25) Commercial Use Case First (1:14:40) Different Weapons for Each Conflict (1:16:45) Could America Just Retool For War? (1:21:09) Outro Dhruva Rajendra is the co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, a defense tech startup company building advanced autonomous manufacturing systems. Follow Dhruva on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhruvarajendra/ Follow Dhruva on X: https://x.com/dkrajendra Dhruva's Company (Deterrence): https://www.deterrence.com/-- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #dronewars #defensetech #militaryinnovation #dronesinwarfare #defenseindustry #djidrones #emergingthreats #dronetechnology #militarytechnology #ukraineconflict #dronesinaction #nationalsecurity #kinetickill #techindefense #futureofwarfare #dronethreat #modernwarfare #dodtech #gamechanger #innovationinwarfare #drone #podcast #manufacturing #reindustrialize

Mike Fiuk is the Vice President of Defense Strategy at Darkhive Inc., a veteran with extensive experience in defense strategy and technology. He discusses Darkhive's innovations in autonomous drones, highlighting their flagship product, 'Obelisk', designed for battlefield intelligence. Mike humorously connects gaming culture to defense tech, explores the complexities of sourcing drone motors amid geopolitical challenges, and shares insights on navigating government compliance. He also emphasizes the importance of innovative solutions to modern defense scenarios.

Alex Taylor shares insights on aerospace, the Thiel Fellowship, and purpose-driven American innovation. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (01:37 Why Alex Started Orb Aerospace (07:39) Reality of the Founder Life (09:07) Thiel Fellows (14:18) Exploitative vs Redemptive Entrepreneurship (17:20) Thiel Fellow as a Tribe (20:03) Trials of Success and Failure (22:45) Alex's Religious Journey (26:04) Orb's Mission and Culture (29:56) How Alex & Steve Met (31:32) Being "Normal" vs. "Different" (34:25) Our New Technological Era (40:10) Alex's Vision for Orb (51:20) Regulations & Innovation (54:10) Orb's Products (1:07:55) Orb's Plan for 2025 (1:12:12) Government Affairs & Lobbying (1:14:19) DJI & If America Turns It Around (1:19:17) ACS and the Business Landscape (1:25:20) Being Authentic (1:33:34) Outro -- Alex Taylor is a Thiel Fellow and the founder of Orb Aerospace, an electric humanitarian aerospace company he started in 2017. Orb is on a mission to revolutionize transportation by creating a global aerospace network that doesn't rely on traditional infrastructure. Follow Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-taylor-06432915b/ Alex's Company (Orb Aerospace): https://www.orb.aero/ -- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 YouTube: youtube.com/@thedroneultimatum Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/droneultimatum Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #DroneWarfare #DefenseTech #MilitaryInnovation #DronesInWarfare #DefenseIndustry #DJIDrones #EmergingThreats #DroneTechnology #MilitaryTech #UkraineConflict #DronesInAction #NationalSecurity #KineticKill #TechInDefense #FutureOfWarfare #DroneThreat #ModernWarfare #DoDTech #GameChanger #InnovationInWarfare #drone #podcast #AerospaceInnovation #FutureOfTech #PurposeDrivenLeadership #entrepreneurship #ThielFellows #NextGenAerospace #VisionaryFounder #TechAndFaith #InnovateWithPurpose #startup #aerospace #aeroplane #airplanes

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 more. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (1:40) Changing the Podcast Name (6:26) Firestorm Products (9:20) Additive Manufacturing & The XCell (14:34) Original Vision vs. Customer Requests (18:17) Learning Appropriations and the End User (20:44) Act Like You Belong (22:34) Dan’s Previous Ventures (28:20) Personal Investments & Mistakes (34:47) Drones & Laser Landscape (39:00) Product Strategies and Ideas (43:13) More Drone Companies (50:58) How Steve Got Into Startups (57:26) Steve Story: Meeting Patrick Mahomes (59:40) Some Favorite Backgrounds of Employees (1:02:50) DoD: “The Mother of Enterprise Sales” (1:05:53) The Crazy COVID ZIRP Era (1:09:07) Ukraine & Europe (01:13:57) Firestorm in 2025 Plans (01:20:36) Outro Dan Magy co-founded Firestorm Labs in May 2022 and is currently serving as CEO. In July 2022, he joined Bonsai Robotics as a Chief Strategy Advisor. Dan is also a Board Member at Beyond Capital since June 2022. In 2016, Dan founded Citadel Defense Company in 2016, which was later acquired by Blue Halo in November 2021. Follow Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmagy/ Dan's Company (Firestorm Labs): https://www.launchfirestorm.com/ -- Follow the show everywhere! 👇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedroneultimatum Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3YOfGtO Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3ObLKme X (Twitter): https://x.com/DroneWarspodcst Instagram: https://bit.ly/4hNn7Ki -- Check out Allen Control Systems (ACS): www.allencontrolsystems.com #DroneWarfare #DefenseTech #MilitaryInnovation #DronesInWarfare #DefenseIndustry #DJIDrones #EmergingThreats #DroneTechnology #MilitaryTech #UkraineConflict #DronesInAction#NationalSecurity #KineticKill #TechInDefense #FutureOfWarfare #DroneThreat #ModernWarfare#DoDTech #GameChanger #InnovationInWarfare #drone #podcast

Doug Livermore talks West Point, drones in warfare, deploying to Africa, Ukraine, and more. Chapters: (0:00) Intro (2:06) "College Life" at West Point (6:52)Training the Congalese Army (12:16) Training Former Rebels in Mali (15:33) Africa: What's Going On? (19:41) Rare Earth Minerals In Africa (21:27) Africa's Vicious Cycle of Turmoil (24:04) Steve's Private Military Plan (27:20) The Rapid Development of Drones (30:09) Drones as Munitions (31:50) Adventures in Russia (35:39) ZYN & Ozempic (37:56) Iraq is Unraveling (42:56) Drones In Iraq (44:49) What's "Irregular Warfare" Now (47:51) Drones in Myanmar, Mexico, Azerbaijan (50:43) Social Media Sharing Drone Kills (52:22) Rethinking C-UAS and Air Defense (54:54) Glide Bombs (57:38) Oura Ring (58:45) CenCore, Doug's New Company (1:00:38) Nonprofits in Defense & National Security (1:07:51) Alternative Drugs for Veteran PTSD (1:10:47) More Nonprofit Work with Ukraine (1:14:05) How Will the War in Ukraine End? (1:20:45) Upcoming Defense Tech Trends (1:23:19) AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) (1:26:40) Lasers + Dexter TV Series Doug Livermore is the Senior VP at the CenCore Group and Director of Special Operations, Irregular Warfare, Special Programs, and Sensitive Activities for the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy. Multiple international affairs and security studies journals have distributed Doug’s works, including many publications in War on the Rocks, Small Wars Journal, and the Military Times. Doug is the National Director for External Communications for the Special Forces Association and is also the Director of Communications with West Point’s Irregular Warfare Initiative. Additionally, he is on the Board of Directors for both No One Left Behind and the Special Operations Association of America where he has been instrumental in the ongoing evacuation and resettlement of Afghan interpreters and their families. Doug earned his undergraduate degree in Military History at West Point, his graduate degree in International Security Affairs from Georgetown University, and exceled in the Army Command and General Staff Officer Course. Follow Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dolivermore/ CenCore Group: https://cencoregroup.com/ Special Forces Association: https://www.specialforcesassociation.org/ Special Operations Association of America: https://soaa.org/ Irregular Warfare Initiative: https://irregularwarfare.org/ No One Left Behind: https://www.nooneleft.org/ Corioli Institute: https://corioli.org/

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 Artillery (8:07) Why Matt Went Into Intel (9:49) Discovering The Drone Problem (12:26) Trends & Insights on Drones (15:35) Calculations of Our Adversaries (19:20) Missteps & Brutality in Ukraine (22:30) Weakness of Current C-UAS (24:25) How The IED Problem Was Addressed (27:45) Offensive vs. Defensive Combat (29:19) North Koreans in Ukraine (31:49) Matt's New Media Project (34:52) New Tools For Journalists (38:34) Prediction Markets & Media (45:46) Additive Manufacturing (54:35) Firestorm's xCell and Logistics (59:11) Cana: Molecular Beverage Printer (1:01:58) The Value of Patience in Defense (1:03:54) Our Swanky Podcast Studio (1:06:30) Del Ray, Alexandria, VA Is Great (1:08:24) Polarization in Media (1:11:22) Is Social Media Overpersonalized? (1:17:13) The Panama Papers (1:18:44) Social Platform Preferences (1:20:07) Telegram CEO Issues (1:21:48) Starting a Business, Then vs. Now (1:24:22) Outro Check out Matt's work: https://www.protocolmedialabs.com/ Matt Tavares is an Army veteran with two decades of experience in national security, emerging technology, and warfighting, including service as an artillery officer, Chief of Intelligence Plans for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, and Country Director for Russia working on Asymmetric Activities. He has now joined the tech startup world with a new company, The Protocol, which leverages blockchains to create a market for quality journalism that can survive in an increasingly censored news environment. #podcast #drone #military #defensetechnology