EPISODE · May 9, 2026 · 24 MIN
Why Autonomous Ships Could Change Global Defense Forever
from Legends N Leaders · host Ben Weiss
In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, we sit down with Rylan Hamilton, CEO of Blue Water Autonomy, the defense technology company building autonomous ships designed to modernize naval shipbuilding and maritime operations.Rylan is a third-generation Navy veteran who deployed to the Persian Gulf before transitioning into robotics and technology, later working at Kiva Systems (acquired by Amazon) and selling his own robotics startup to Shopify.Now, through Blue Water Autonomy, he’s tackling one of America’s most overlooked strategic problems: the inability to build ships fast enough.We discuss:• Why shipbuilding has become a major bottleneck for national defense• The future of autonomous naval vessels• How AI and robotics are changing maritime operations• Why software-first shipbuilding could transform the Navy• Building vessels in months instead of years• The intersection of defense, autonomy, and manufacturing• Lessons from the Navy, Amazon robotics, and startup leadershipBlue Water Autonomy has already raised over $60 million, partnered with major shipyards, expanded operations in Washington D.C., and secured Navy contracts as it moves rapidly toward production and testing of autonomous ships.This episode is packed with insights on defense technology, AI, robotics, entrepreneurship, military innovation, and the future of autonomous systems.#AI #DefenseTech #Robotics #Navy #Entrepreneurship #FutureOfWork #BusinessPodcast #LegendsNLeaders
What this episode covers
In this episode of LegendsNLeaders, we sit down with Rylan Hamilton, CEO of Blue Water Autonomy, the defense technology company building autonomous ships designed to modernize naval shipbuilding and maritime operations.Rylan is a third-generation Navy veteran who deployed to the Persian Gulf before transitioning into robotics and technology, later working at Kiva Systems (acquired by Amazon) and selling his own robotics startup to Shopify.Now, through Blue Water Autonomy, he’s tackling one of America’s most overlooked strategic problems: the inability to build ships fast enough.We discuss:• Why shipbuilding has become a major bottleneck for national defense• The future of autonomous naval vessels• How AI and robotics are changing maritime operations• Why software-first shipbuilding could transform the Navy• Building vessels in months instead of years• The intersection of defense, autonomy, and manufacturing• Lessons from the Navy, Amazon robotics, and startup leadershipBlue Water Autonomy has already raised over $60 million, partnered with major shipyards, expanded operations in Washington D.C., and secured Navy contracts as it moves rapidly toward production and testing of autonomous ships.This episode is packed with insights on defense technology, AI, robotics, entrepreneurship, military innovation, and the future of autonomous systems.#AI #DefenseTech #Robotics #Navy #Entrepreneurship #FutureOfWork #BusinessPodcast #LegendsNLeaders
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Why Autonomous Ships Could Change Global Defense Forever
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