Drone Wars Podcast

CEO and Co-Founder of Picogrid, Zane Mountcastle is a key member of the emerging El Segundo defense tech scene. Him and Dan discuss the tough questions facing founders today.  Find Zane and Picogrid online: www.picogrid.com https://x.com/picogrid https://www.linkedin.com/company/picogrid/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanemountcastle/ About Drone Wars The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, b...

In this episode of Drone Wars, host Dan Magy continues his conversation with Brett Kanda, Director of DFR Sales at Flock Safety. In Part II, Brett offers his expert predictions on the future of the drone industry, the emerging threat of nefarious drone use, and what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur in deep tech. Brett shares his candid thoughts on the drone industry's biggest surprises,...

In this episode of Drone Wars, host Dan Magy sits down with Brett Kanda, Director of DFR Sales at Flock Safety. Brett pulls back the curtain on the revolutionary "Drone as a First Responder" (DFR) program, explaining how automated drones are transforming law enforcement and public safety. Brett shares his unique journey from being one of the original pioneers in the drone industry back i...

In this episode of Drone Wars, host Dan Magy sits down with Aaron Jacobson, Partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and the lead investor in Firestorm's Series A. Aaron pulls back the curtain on what top-tier venture capitalists look for when investing in the future of robotics, autonomy, and defense technology. Aaron shares his unique journey from a young gamer obsessed with StarCraft and...

In Part II of our interview with Sam Bendett, Dan Magy continues the deep dive into how unmanned systems are transforming modern warfare—this time, focusing on the maritime domain.  Sam explores how commercial tech is enabling smaller nations to rival traditional naval powers, why large legacy systems like aircraft carriers may soon be vulnerable, and how even civilian cargo ships could be weaponi...

Today, Dan Magy welcomes back Sam Bendett, open-source intelligence expert and senior fellow at CNA, for a hard-hitting breakdown of how drone warfare is evolving at breakneck speed.  Sam explains how Ukrainian innovation and Russian industrial adaptation are reshaping military doctrine, what happens when thousands of drones are unleashed in a single night, and how the rise of unmanned systems is...

In the second half of this Drone Wars conversation, Dan Magy continues with Brett Harrison and Shaun Moore to dig into what sets Turn AI apart from defense incumbents and Silicon Valley hopefuls alike. This episode shifts focus from tech specs to team dynamics, culture, and strategic edge—how a fast, focused startup can outmaneuver giants. They explore what it takes to build critical infrastructur...

In this episode of Drone Wars, Dan Magy is joined by Brett Harrison and Shaun Moore, co-founders of Tern AI, for a deep dive into one of the biggest hidden vulnerabilities in modern life—our overdependence on GPS. Drawing from elite military operations and hard-earned lessons in AI innovation, they lay out why signal-based navigation is no longer reliable—and what it means for warfighters, civilia...

In Part II of this candid Drone Wars conversation, Dan Magy is joined once again by James Cross and Chris Donaghey to dig into one of the most pressing problems in modern warfare: how to scale effective defense technologies fast enough to matter. From next-gen laser systems to why small companies rarely survive the primes, this episode explores the gritty realities behind mission kills, demo cultu...

In this episode of Drone Wars, Dan Magy is joined by defense investors and Silicon Valley Defense Group founders James Cross and Chris Donaghey for a high-octane discussion on the present and future of military innovation. From production bottlenecks to geopolitical realignments, the trio explores what it will take to actually deliver at scale—and at speed. They talk about why hardware is hard, th...

In this episode of Drone Wars, host Dan Magy sits down with a leading voice in the defense innovation space to unpack the future of military manufacturing. From flying CH-53 helicopters in the Marine Corps to pioneering advanced industrial capabilities at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), our guest shares a compelling journey through aerospace, entrepreneurship, and public service. Together, they...

 In Part II of our interview with Jake Windle, we zoom out from battlefield innovation and into the bigger picture: how the defense ecosystem is evolving, and why venture capital is now a critical tool for national security. Host Dan Magy and Jake explore what defines "Defense Tech 2.0," how bureaucratic gridlock stalls promising solutions, and why the military must rethink how it evalua...

In Part I of this special two-part episode, host Dan Magy reconnects with an old friend—Jake Windle, former Master Chief at Naval Special Warfare and now a partner at Harpoon Ventures. The conversation kicks off with Jake's transition from elite military operations to early-stage tech, and how he became one of the first to identify drones as a rising threat on the battlefield. Jake shares the...

CNA Researcher Sam Bendett. Talk about the recent attack on multiple airbases conducted by Ukraine. About Drone Wars The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines.  Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry....

Part II: Autonomy, Spectrum Warfare, and the Next Generation of Defense In this special two-part edition of Drone Wars, host Dan Magy continues his conversation with Nathan Mintz, defense tech entrepreneur and CEO of CX2, exploring the tactical and strategic frontiers of modern warfare. T his episode focuses on the rising importance of human-machine teaming, drone autonomy in GPS-denied environmen...

Part I: From Defense Primes to Deep Tech Startups In this special two-part edition of Drone Wars, host Dan Magy sits down with defense tech entrepreneur Nathan Mintz, CEO of CX2, for a wide-ranging conversation on innovation, autonomy, and the evolving front lines of national security. Nathan reflects on his early engineering work at Boeing and Raytheon, then dives into his transition into the sta...

Part II: Attritable Warfare, UGVs, and the Future of Combat In Part II, Sam Bendett returns to break down the real-time innovation shaping Russia and Ukraine's unmanned arsenals. We examine the shift to fiber optic-controlled drones, the rising role of attritable assets, and how military bureaucracies are struggling to keep up with front-line innovation. Sam explains how Ukraine’s “Brave One”...

Part I: OSINT, Telegram Warfare & Tactical Innovation In Part I of our conversation with Sam Bendett, we dive deep into how the war in Ukraine is being shaped not only on the battlefield—but online. Sam, a leading expert in open-source intelligence and Russian military adaptation, breaks down how Telegram and other platforms have become real-time war theaters. He explains how grassroots innova...

Autonomous Frontlines and the Rise of Stark: Florian Seibel on the Future of Drone Warfare Florian Seibel returns for part two of our Drone Wars conversation to unpack the deeper implications of autonomy in warfare and the launch of his new company, Stark. He discusses why gamified training, fast software cycles, and modular drone design are critical to staying ahead. Dan and Florian also explore...

From Startup to Battlefield: Florian Seibel on Building Drones That Actually Work in War In this episode of Drone Wars, Dan Magy sits down with Florian Seibel, CEO and co-founder of Quantum Systems, to talk about what it takes to build drone systems that actually survive in combat.  Florian shares the journey from struggling startup to a critical player in Ukraine’s defense, the lessons learned fr...

In the second half of their conversation, Dan Magy and Eric DeMarco look ahead. As CEO of Kratos Defense, Eric reflects on how preparation and urgency are now colliding—and the future is no longer theoretical. They dig into drone swarms, hypersonics, and the role of AI in modern conflict, along with the ethical dilemmas those technologies bring. Eric speaks not only as a builder of systems, but as...

This episode marks the beginning of a powerful two-part conversation between Dan Magy and Eric DeMarco, CEO of Kratos Defense. As they reflect on over a decade of strategic growth and technological advancement, Eric shares what it takes to build resilient defense systems in a world facing fast-evolving threats. It’s not just about innovation—it’s about anticipating future conflicts and having the...

Part III – Culture, Doctrine, and the Path Forward  In the final chapter, Brabner discusses the broader changes needed across policy, training, and recruitment to make drone warfare viable at scale.  From launching the National Drone Association to preparing for upcoming international drone competitions, he lays out a vision where unmanned systems are not just tools—but pillars of military readine...

Part II – Swarm Tech, Soldier-Led Innovation, and the Tactical Shift Ahead  Brabner returns to explore how collaborative autonomy, soldier-driven innovation labs, and evolving doctrine are setting the stage for a major leap in how the Army fights.  He discusses the integration of swarm behavior into tactical operations, the importance of bottom-up feedback from NCOs and junior officers, and how to...

Part I – Redefining Capability: Brabner’s Journey from Infantry to Innovation  In this opening conversation, Lt. Col. Michael Brabner reflects on his combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and how it fuels his mission to reshape the Army’s approach to unmanned systems.  He shares how his transition into acquisition became a strategic move to protect future warfighters—and why the Army’s drone d...