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PODCAST

The Drone Ultimatum

The preeminent podcast for all things drones, defense tech, defense policy, and modern warfare. Featured guests include industry leaders, policy experts, military warfighters, business titans, and many more. Hosted by Steve Simoni, co-founder and CEO of Allen Control Systems.

technology

All Episodes

01:10:24

How to Sell to the U.S. Military: OTAs, 4023 & Sole...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/05/09

Government contracting, but with zero fluff.In this episode, we sit down with Travis James—former Army contracting officer and now Head of Contracts at Fortera—for a brutally practical breakdown of how to actually win defense contracts. From underused authorities like 10 USC 4023 to what really happens behind the scenes with sole source justifications, Travis gives founders the roadmap most never get. We also talk autonomous vehicles, program of record dynamics, price vs. performance tradeoffs, and

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01:44:45

From Iraq to AI Drones: How War Has Changed (And How...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/05/02

What does it feel like to be under fire? How are drones changing warfare? And why does modern military tech so often miss the mark?In this episode, special operations veterans Chris “Gus” Jennings (5th Special Forces Group) and Mike “Rod” Rodriguez (Marine Raider) join us for a raw, unfiltered conversation about battle, culture, and the evolution of combat. We talk about their first experiences getting shot at, how FPV drones are the new IEDs, what’s wrong with defense procurement, and why tanks

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01:34:28

The Brutal Reality of Building in Defense Tech | John...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/04/25

Most VC-backed defense startups stall, pivot, and eventually die. John Ferry has a few ideas why.As President of Trenchant Analytics and a deeply connected defense insider, Ferry pulls back the curtain on what’s really going on in GovCon. We talk pivot traps, why most military customers aren’t actually looking for innovation, and why founders need to get real about the slow, messy path to contracts. Also in this episode: drone warfare, EW hype cycles, defense memes, investor delusions, and how

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01:09:55

From NASA to Startup: Building the Future of...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/04/22

What if satellite imaging could go beyond RGB and actually see the molecular makeup of our planet? In this episode, the former NASA engineer turned co-founder and CEO breaks down how his startup, Matter Intelligence, is creating a new class of earth observation sensors that go beyond RGB to capture the molecular makeup of the planet. We talk about hyperspectral imaging, how Matter’s satellites work, commercial vs. government go-to-market strategy, and why most of today’s satellite data is basically

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01:19:41

From Combat Zones to Satellites: the Future of Earth...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/04/11

Luke Fischer is the Co-Founder and CEO of SkyFi, an industry-leading Earth Observation marketplace company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Before co-founding SkyFi, Luke was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Shield Capital, focusing on investing in Space, Autonomy, AI, and Cyber. Prior to joining Shield Capital, he led Government Operations at Joby Aviation, and prior to Joby was Head of Flight Operations at Uber. Luke is also a highly decorated US Army Special Operations Aviation veteran with

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01:15:42

The Future of Defense Tech Investing | Jackson Moses...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/04/04

A proven serial entrepreneur and early defense tech investor, Jackson Moses currently serves as the Founder and Managing Partner of Silent Ventures, an early stage venture firm that invests in exceptional founders building unrivaled aerospace, defense, and national security startups. He also founded and manages Silent Capital, a private syndicate that provides its members exclusive access to leading multi-stage defense and deep tech deals. Additionally, Jackson serves as a Senior Advisor to the

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01:24:44

Laser Weapons, Defense Startups, Reshoring U.S....

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/03/28

Michael LaFramboise is the co-founder and CEO of Aurelius Systems, a defense technology startup building the next generation of autonomous counter-UAS. Their premier product, the Archimedes Laser Sentinel, combines high-powered directed energy with edge-deployed advanced control for unparalleled point-defense capabilities.TOPICS(0:00) Intro(1:06) Our First Laser Guest(2:29) BlueHalo’s Locust(4:29) US Navy Laser Weapons(5:51) Steve’s Sub Experiences(8:14) What’s Different About Defense(11:25) A New

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00:48:48

America’s Intelligence Wake-Up Call | Simone Ledeen...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/03/21

Simone Ledeen has served in various U.S. Government and business leadership positions, most recently as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy. Her prior US Government work, including on multiple overseas deployments, influenced key counterterrorism activities, intelligence collection and analysis, as well as military information support operations involving cyber and disinformation, irregular warfare, direct action, sensitive special operations and personnel

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01:00:19

Inside the Defense Tech Boom: Investors,...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/03/15

Follow the show and subscribe for more!Chapters / Topics:IntroEpirus Fundraising AnnouncementDual Use vs. Military-Use OnlyR&D and ProcurementHow to get the Military to Buy Your StuffDefense Investor Perspective on Current TrendsTips for Fundraising in Defense TechIncubation & Cap TablesHumanoid RobotsPresentation and CollaborationAudience Questions--Naweed Tahmas served as the Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of the White House.He advised the President, and advanced

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01:25:40

How China’s Rise is Changing Economics, Technology,...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/03/08

Is China the new global superpower? April Herlevi, a senior research scientist at CNA and non-resident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, joins us to break down China’s economic statecraft, military expansion, and defense tech strategy. We discuss China’s growing arms exports, the role of drones in modern warfare, Taiwan’s response to military threats, and how China’s global reach extends from Africa to AI development.China’s military exports & influence in AfricaThe role of drones

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01:11:13

Unmanned Surface Vessels, Drone Swarms, & Deterring...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/02/28

Bryan Clark is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute. He is an expert in naval operations, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, military competitions, and wargaming.TOPICS(0:00) Intro(1:00) Bryan's Background & Hudson Institute(4:21) Saronic & USVs Breakdown(15:05) Impacts of Drones in Ukraine War(18:21) Carrier Strike Group in Age of USVs(24:00) American Drone Production Capacity(27:01) Unitree & Humanoid Robots(30:28) How

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00:53:51

Breaking Into Defense: How Startups Can Work with the...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/02/22

Dr. Casey Perley joins the show to talk about the Army Applications Lab, innovation in defense, and how startups can work with the Army.👉 Watch one of our favorite episodes: https://youtu.be/fA8x9eGvaFk?si=bpFeYTM3Gz1Z12m2(00:00) Intro(01:02) Meet Dr. Casey Pearly & Army Applications Lab (02:13) How the Army Works with Startups & Non-Traditional Companies (03:36) The Army’s Definition of Non-Traditional Companies (06:00) How the Army Identifies Problems & Finds Solutions (07:41)

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01:18:50

Drones, Capitol Hill, and Preparing for Future...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/02/14

Nic Adams joins the show to talk defense, Capitol Hill, drones, and preparing for future conflicts.(0:00) Intro(1:20) Nic's background - Army Intel, JSOC, Capitol Hill(5:37) The NDAA(9:28) Getting $$ for Defense Tech(12:19) Steve's favorite brand, Alo *not sponsored*(13:50) NDAA and Approps(21:40) Leaving the Hill(23:11) Steve is training for the World Championship(26:37) What does Washington Office do?(29:03) Dual Use & The Defense Industrial Base(36:50) Castelion(46:11) Office of

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01:09:24

AI, Drones, and Space Weapons: The Next Era of...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/02/07

What do you think about AI and space warfare? Leave a comment!(0:00) Intro(1:08) Discussing Drone Swarm Threats(2:45) Working for CIA & a Think Tank (Clayton’s Background)(8:20) Space & Future Defense Strategies(12:04) Going to Mars Debate(15:43) Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS)(18:28) Space: The Future Battlefield?(23:00) Growing Commercial Space Industry & Defense Applications(30:25) Air Power & Drones in Russia-Ukraine(38:00) Building Small Drones in America(46:33) An

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01:00:49

The Drone Problem, Regulations, and Aviation | Rob...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/02/01

Rob Thompson discusses aviation, drones, regulations, and his family legacy.Rob is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subjects of aviation and unmanned aircraft systems for aircraft design, certification, regulation, policy and innovative flight training. He is the founder of the CUAS Coalition, an education and advocacy organization focused on the regulation and development of C-UAS technology. Follow Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robthompsonpilot/ CUAS Coalition:

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01:10:27

Satellites, Investing, and Defense Tech's Future |...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/01/24

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

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01:21:40

Modern Warfare: Drones, AI, and USVs | David Broyles,...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/01/17

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)

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01:38:26

Power, Tech, and The Wars of The Future | Donald...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2025/01/10

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

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01:21:14

Manufacturing, Autonomy, & The Future of American...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2024/12/20

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 &

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00:57:41

Drones for Defense and Public Safety, Autonomy, and...

The Drone Ultimatum ·

2024/12/13

Mike Fiuk shares Darkhive’s vision, roadmap, and insights on selling and tech in defense.Chapters: (0:00) Intro (1:00) Who is Mike Fiuk? (4:27) About Darkhive & Obelisk (9:57) Video Games (12:43) Supply Chains (19:01) Reacting to Trae Stephens (22:04) Autonomous Teaming & Analysis (23:38) DIU Blue List (25:35) Advice for Selling in Defense (29:02) Ukraine Lessons & Scale to Win Wars (34:36) How to Get Info About Ukraine (36:30) Darkhive's 2025 Plans42:50 Keeping Products

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70 results

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