Drones: Small machines, big business

from The Bottom Line · host BBC Radio 4

Drones are no longer simply small flying cameras. They’re being used to fight wars, find people lost at sea, inspect infrastructure and gather intelligence. Evan Davis and guests discuss what’s driving the extraordinary growth of the drone industry. And, as the technology gets cheaper, smarter and longer-range, what does it take to build a successful drone business? Guests: Mike Armstrong, MD, Stark Defence UK Gemma Alcock, Founder and CEO, Skybound Mark Westwood, Director of Defence and a Professor of Aeronautics, Cranfield University Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producers: Bethan Ashmead, Nick Holland, Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Matt Willis

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 24, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

Ready to play

Drones: Small machines, big business

0:00 31:16

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world?

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Bottom Line?

This episode is 31 minutes long.

When was this The Bottom Line episode published?

This episode was published on September 24, 2026.

Can I download this The Bottom Line episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!