Drone Wars

Matthew Walther is a decorated Special Operations veteran who spent 21 years in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), one of the most specialized and high-stakes career fields in the military. He's seen the full evolution of battlefield threats from the inside. He also happens to be Director of Manufacturing Logistics and Operational Planning here at Firestorm. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Rachel spent 30 years in the U.S. Navy and now leads The FORGE at UC San Diego, an initiative that bridges academia, industry and government to strengthen the regional defense industrial base. She's a central figure in the Southern California defense innovation community — leading the Innovating for National Security (i4NS) program, DefenseInnovation Community of Entities (DICE) Alliance and the Five Eyes Defense Innovation Alliance. Her reach extends globally through institutions like Sweden's Defense University and Estonia's University of Tartu, enabling innovation in transatlantic partnerships.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Robert Almonte spent 25 years at the El Paso, Texas Police Department and was appointed by President Barack Obama as the United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas in 2010 where he served until 2016.He spent most of his career in narcotics investigations and retired as a Deputy Chief in 2003.  He has consulted for several prosecutors and law enforcement agencies regarding Mexican Cartel homicides and has testified as an expert witness in state and federal court regarding the Mexican Cartels.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Mike Flanigan is co-founder and CEO of Seasats, a San Diego-based company building long-range autonomous surface vessels for commercial and defense missions. This is his second time on Drone Wars — and he came back with stories.We get into how Seasats recently sailed a Lightfish autonomous boat through the Taiwan Strait and found themselves tracking Chinese Navy warships along the way. Mike breaks down the asymmetry: a $100M+ corvette with 70+ sailors versus a sub-$1M boat operated remotely from San Diego. We also cover the state of the USV industry, the debate over large vs. small autonomous vessels, operating in the Indo-Pacific, their joint Navy/Marine Corps APFIT contract win, and how Seasats is using AI to cut a six-hour quality check down to 20 minutes.Topics:Why San Diego is becoming the maritime autonomy capital of the U.S.Lightfish, Quickfish, Heavyfish — Seasats' product lineupTaiwan Strait transit & Chinese Navy encounterThe real numbers behind U.S. USV productionLarge unmanned surface vessels: hype or hope?Mines in the Strait of HormuzAPFIT: joint Navy & Marine Corps contract winAI in physical manufacturingAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Ben Haldeman is a space entrepreneur and engineer who founded LifeShip in 2019 — a company building monuments of Earth across space. LifeShip made history by placing the first-ever Pyramid on the Moon, carrying a seed bank, DNA archive, and cultural record for all of humanity. Before that, he was an early engineer at Planet Labs, launching hundreds of spacecrafts. He's on a mission to make humanity a galactic species that spreads life outward while protecting the one planet we call home.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Clark "Slider" Haymond is A former F-15E pilot with the U.S. Air Force and currently COO of Disruptive Electronic Warfare Machines (DEWM), taking the industry by storm with the DART system (DEWM's Attritable Radar Target).Slider and Dan cover why the EW training gap is a real problem, the AI wingman question, and whether China is as big of a threat as we think. Check out https://dewm.io/ to learn more. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Omar Javaid is a veteran tech executive with decades of experience scaling companies across semiconductors, software, AI, and communications. Before joining Rampart Communications as CEO in October 2025, he led Spectra7 as CEO and served as President of API Platform at Vonage where he helped drive a $6.2 billion acquisition by Ericsson. He has also held senior roles at Qualcomm, Motorola, Google, and Hewlett-Packard, and has founded two companies of his own. Check out https://rampartcommunications.com/.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Rob Sladen is Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Zulu Pods, developing advanced fluid delivery systems for aircraft, drones, and high-performance platforms. Check out zulupods.com to learn more. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Adam Fife is the Founder and CEO of Cencore Group, providing secure edge communications, physical security, and containerized solutions for global operations.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Brian Streem is founder and CEO of Vermeer, a company pioneering vision-based navigation systems for drones and autonomous platforms operating in GPS-denied environments.  He transitioned from Hollywood drone cinematography to defense tech, leading Vermeer to secure millions in non-dilutive government contracts and expand operations into active conflict zones like Ukraine.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

John Dulin is Founder and CEO of Modern Intelligence, empowering defense withresponsible A.I. to outsmart, outpace, and overwhelm the enemy.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

George Dougherty is a scientist, business strategist, senior military leader, and author of Beast in the Machine.   Dan and George cover: - Why the largest tank battle in history (1943) was spearheaded by robot tanks. - How Ukraine's FPV drones wiped out a British armored brigade in 2 days. - Why Tesla invented the drone in 1898 and we're still copying it.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Illya Sekirin is a Ukrainian Canadian who volunteered to fight for Ukraine in 2022 and was trained as a drone operator. In addition to frontline service, he worked as a translator for the Ukrainian General Staff and became an unofficial advisor to several members of the Stavka [Ukrainian High Command], a body chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky.  He advised on multiple operations; on drone strategy and tactics; and authored a paper that informed Zelensky’s decision to create Unmanned Systems Forces as a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.  Sekirin is more recently the author of Rise of the Machines: Drone Warfare in the Russia-Ukraine War.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Yurii “Phoenix” is a Major and the commander of the training group of the legendary UAV unit Lasar’s Group (National Guard of Ukraine). He is one of the key representatives of the unit, responsible for the search, implementation, and combat testing of engineering solutions. Phoenix also regularly takes part in interviews and expert discussions focused on the development of defense technologies in Ukraine. Phoenix describes being part of a specialized unit that built bomber drones from scratch starting in May 2022, growing from a small team into a unit that shares its methods with other Ukrainian forces. This is clearly not a standard infantry outfit but a purpose-built drone warfare group.Yuri states they have a special bomber drone model capable of reaching targets at up to 65 kilometers. This is a concrete, striking number, especially contrasted with the 3km range that was standard when the war began.Yuri describes a fixed-wing drone (an F-12 plane) that acts as a mothership, flying 60–70km out, detecting targets with a high-resolution gimbal, and then releasing FPV drones to strike with high precision. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Duane Blank is a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he held multiple command roles including Commanding Officer of Company C, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He previously served as a Marine Officer Instructor of Military Science and Leadership at Pennsylvania State University.   This convo covers: • His journey from a Iraq machine gunner to developing tactics for the next big fight.• Why information warfare will decide a conflict with China.• The leadership style that will make your team do anything for you. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Joe Musselman is the Founder and Managing Partner of Bravo Victor Venture Capital (BVVC), an early-seed and series A venture capital fund.  He also led the firm’s creation and backing of School House, a unique venture capital/ private equity platform that offers experiences dedicated to serving national security founders and broader ecosystems of support. Joe and Dan discuss America's manufacturing problem, helping people transition from the military to civilians, the future of unmanned warfare, and how he key traits of successful founders and entrepreneurs. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Garrett Smith is the Founder and CEO of Reveal Technology, delivering a suite of AI products that generate critical intelligence, autonomy and decision dominance for tactical military and public safety users. Garrett and Dan cover Reveal's AI-powered defense products, predictions of a new wave of consolidation in defense tech, and transitioning from the military to founding a startup.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Troy Smothers is a former U.S. Marine Corps infantry sergeant who had the opportunity to train alongside Ukrainian soldiers and develop a deep appreciation for the people and culture of Ukraine.  Following Russia’s invasion, he traveled to Ukraine to assess the situation and consider how he could best help.  He founded American Made Freedom, a non-profit that assists Ukrainian troops with fiber-optic drones.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

This podcast was started to give a voice to small defense companies in an industry dominated by massive primes.  Our platform has now evolved into something more multifaceted. We’ve expanded our conversations into a space where global geopolitics, culture, entrepreneurship, venture capital, history, military and government all intertwine.   Our mission remains the same: serve the warfighters, the innovators, the builders and the thinkers who are rewriting what’s possible within the defense ecosystem.  We’re asking the hard questions and shedding light on the real state of the industry because we believe our warfighters deserve the best tech on the market.  Join the movement➡️ subscribe nowAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Nathan Mintz is Co-Founder and CEO of CX2, fighting to deliver spectrum dominance for the United States and our Allies.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Ian Muceus is our Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer here at Firestorm. He started his career: - Studying under the “father” of the F-22 (Bruce Wright).  - Designing aircraft for NASA’s Ames Research Center.  - Obtaining his private pilot’s license.  - Developing a sUAS for aerial data collection.  Since then, he has:  - Supported federal agencies with tech consulting. - Obtained numerous 3D printing and aerospace patents. - Contributed to over $4 billion of successful startup exits to Oracle, Twilio and Stratasys.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Jeff Wright is the Founder and CEO, SplashOne Robotics, the world’s first technology company to develop and dominate low-altitude air superiority. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Jackie Barbieri is the CEO and co-founder of WhiteSpace, a defense tech company applying advanced AI to real-world national security and operational challenges.  Her work bridges AI, defense innovation, and operator-informed design, building systems that perform in contested, real-world environments. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Jarren Reid is the CEO and Co-Founder of Usul, an AI platform that helps companies win government contracts across 60+ nations. Its goal is to build a global marketplace for governments to buy products quickly, starting with defense. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Andy Markoff is a former Special Operations Officer in the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Smack Technologies, which uses deep reinforcement learning and machine learning to accelerate critical decision-making from the command center to the front lines. Dan and Andy discuss speeding up military kill-chains and command decisions for better "decision dominance" in future conflicts, especially amid rising Indo-Pacific tensions.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Lito Villanueva is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a communications specialist, and was most recently a combat drone pilot in Ukraine. Born in the Philippines and raised in a military family in California, he served in the Air Force before working with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and supporting Joint Special Operations Command through a Special Missions Unit. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lito volunteered on the ground, initially delivering humanitarian aid across the country, before applying his expertise to tactical communications with the International Legion of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In his last assignment before his service ended, Lito was a Team Leader for a drone team in 3rd Regiment Ukrainian Special Operational Forces. A combat veteran of multiple wars, Lito now supports frontline efforts in Ukraine in a civilian capacity, applying capital investments in critical technologies, and sharing operational lessons learned with military units and leaders in the United States. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Lito Villanueva is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a communications specialist, and was most recently a combat drone pilot in Ukraine. Born in the Philippines and raised in a military family in California, he served in the Air Force before working with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and supporting Joint Special Operations Command through a Special Missions Unit. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lito volunteered on the ground, initially delivering humanitarian aid across the country, before applying his expertise to tactical communications with the International Legion of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In his last assignment before his service ended, Lito was a Team Leader for a drone team in 3rd Regiment Ukrainian Special Operational Forces. A combat veteran of multiple wars, Lito now supports frontline efforts in Ukraine in a civilian capacity, applying capital investments in critical technologies, and sharing operational lessons learned with military units and leaders in the United States. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Lito Villanueva is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a communications specialist, and was most recently a combat drone pilot in Ukraine. Born in the Philippines and raised in a military family in California, he served in the Air Force before working with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and supporting Joint Special Operations Command through a Special Missions Unit. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lito volunteered on the ground, initially delivering humanitarian aid across the country, before applying his expertise to tactical communications with the International Legion of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In his last assignment before his service ended, Lito was a Team Leader for a drone team in 3rd Regiment Ukrainian Special Operational Forces. A combat veteran of multiple wars, Lito now supports frontline efforts in Ukraine in a civilian capacity, applying capital investments in critical technologies, and sharing operational lessons learned with military units and leaders in the United States. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Lito Villanueva is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a communications specialist, and was most recently a combat drone pilot in Ukraine. Born in the Philippines and raised in a military family in California, he served in the Air Force before working with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and supporting Joint Special Operations Command through a Special Missions Unit. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lito volunteered on the ground, initially delivering humanitarian aid across the country, before applying his expertise to tactical communications with the International Legion of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In his last assignment before his service ended, Lito was a Team Leader for a drone team in 3rd Regiment Ukrainian Special Operational Forces. A combat veteran of multiple wars, Lito now supports frontline efforts in Ukraine in a civilian capacity, applying capital investments in critical technologies, and sharing operational lessons learned with military units and leaders in the United States. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

This episode dives into the most prominent shifts in the combat history of UAVs. Dan covers UAV tech from the following eras:  Radio-Controlled Aerial Weapons (WWI 1917). Reconnaissance UAVs (Cold War & Vietnam1950s-1970s). UAVs in the 90s (Desert Storm). UAVs in Iraq and Afghanistan (2001-2021). Mass-Scale, Low-Cost Drone Warfare (Russia-Ukraine War, 2022 - Present). About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Mike Sims is the Co-Founder and CEO of Empirium, a unified marketplace platform connecting verified buyers and suppliers across aerospace, defense and manufacturing. This convo covers:  Why China dominates 45% of global manufacturing & how we became dangerously dependent.  Building a trusted defense/aerospace marketplace.  Amplifying the voices of end-users. About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Mike Sims is the Co-Founder and CEO of Empirium, a unified marketplace platform connecting verified buyers and suppliers across aerospace, defense and manufacturing. This episode covers:  9/11 moment that made him drop everything to join the fight.   Arabic language mastery.  Becoming a Marine Raider.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Ellen Chang is a deep-tech investor focused on the maritime and space domains. She is Managing Director at CapZone Impact Investments, and Co-Founder and Co-President of Wharton Aerospace.She served the U.S. Navy as an Intelligence Officer, later working on JP Morgan’s aerospace team and founding a B2B aviation parts sourcing startup. She spent 12 years at Northrop Grumman, holding leadership roles across systems engineering, program management, and advanced systems, with work spanning autonomous air and space platforms.This episode covers:- Deep tech investor insights.- Drone adoption and reducing cognitive load.- Why manufacturing scale, not just innovation, wins wars.00:00 - Intro01:07 - Taiwan’s defense strategy: Standing on their own vs. US support03:07 - Geopolitics and the "Chip Deal": China’s path to self-reliance04:42 - The ITAR debate: Should the US "drown the world" in American tech?05:23 - Why the US struggles with "trinkets," motors, and batteries06:39 - Economic Statecraft: Lessons from the Great Depression & WWII08:01 - Revitalizing the Maritime Sector: US vs. China’s $90B investment09:48 - Partnering with allies to accelerate manufacturing speed12:00 - Is American innovation too arrogant? Lessons from South Korea13:08 - The "Hard Tech" Founder Profile: MIT, Stanford, Palantir, and SpaceX14:59 - Ellen’s investment philosophy: De-risking the "Go-to-Market"16:23 - Advice for young people entering the "Defense Tech Rage"17:59 - The Wharton Effect: Why MBAs and Vets are moving into defense19:36 - Defense Tech as an emerging asset class21:01 - AI Infrastructure: Data center risks and 2-year backlogs23:11 - The Future of Autonomy: Adoption challenges in the "System of Systems"25:01 - Lowering the "Cognitive Load": Designing tech for the 18-year-old warfighter26:49 - Moving the Bureaucracy: Using safety arguments to improve UI/UX28:04 - Closing RemarksAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Ellen Chang is a deep-tech investor focused on the maritime and space domains.She is Managing Director at CapZone Impact Investments, and Co-Founder and Co-President of Wharton Aerospace.She served the U.S. Navy as an Intelligence Officer, later working on JP Morgan’s aerospace team and founding a B2B aviation parts sourcing startup. She spent 12 years at Northrop Grumman, holding leadership roles across systems engineering, program management, and advanced systems, with work spanning autonomous air and space platforms.This episode covers:- Taiwan and China geopolitics.- Ukraine War as a preview of future drone warfare.- Why Taiwan rapidly built a domestic drone industry.00:00 - Teaser01:05 - Introduction: Meet deep tech investor Ellen Chang01:42 - Ukraine as the "Spanish Civil War" precursor to WWII tech02:38 - Ukraine's decentralized "factory" model vs. US Bureaucracy04:04 - The Lobbying Game: Why startups need lobbyists early05:28 - Ellen’s Journey: Growing up in Taiwan in the 60s06:46 - Career Path: Navy Intelligence, Banking, and Northrop Grumman08:04 - Leaving the Primes: The early days of DJI and 3D Robotics09:36 - Re-industrializing America: Opportunity Zones and Shipyards10:24 - Taiwan’s economic rise and export-oriented history12:32 - Reshoring manufacturing: Decoupling from Shenzhen and Guangdong13:55 - The Generational Divide: Taiwanese Identity vs. Reunification15:50 - Galvanizing Identity: Lessons from the 2014 invasion of Ukraine17:02 - Successors of Industry: The US-educated "Second Generation"18:58 - Invasion Scenarios: The geography and defensibility of Taiwan20:56 - Building a native drone industry from scratch in two years23:08 - Legacy: Protecting democracy for the next generationAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Chad McCoy is a Co-Founder and the Chief Growth Officer at Firestorm Labs. He’s a Special Operations Veteran and retired Chief Master Sergeant from the United States Air Force’s 24th Special Tactics Squadron.The convo covers:-Importance of a military background as a defense tech founder.-Speeding up DoD adoption.-Firestorm’s strategy.-Winning the Pacific.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Dan reacts to his 12 most viral drone moments on LinkedIn of 2025. Check out his top posts below:12. Counter UAS Fishing11. Chinese Robo-Cop Drone10. Counter UAS Fishing Nets9. Autonomous Aerial Construction8. Russia’s Pearl Harbor7. Tempest in a Suitcase6. The Quad Bomber5. Balloon-Launched 'Eagle'4. Robo Dog Drone3. Liaowan-12. Narco Sub1. Chicken droneAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Joslyn Tarr is a seasoned UAS engineering leader with deep expertise in aircraft development and systems engineering. She’s worked for several defense companies including Kratos and General Atomics, loves all things aviation and is currently pursuing her private pilot's license. Not to mention she’s our very own Senior Vice President of Engineering here at Firestorm Labs.   This convo covers: - Working for a defense prime vs a startup.- 3-D printing drones.- Rapid prototyping.- Scaling teams at a startup.- Lessons from Ukraine.- Providing the best value for the warfighter.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Jamie Dimon is the CEO of JP Morgan Chase, a global financial services firm with assets of $3.2 trillion and operations worldwide. He’s been one of the most influential voices on Wall Street for the last 2 decades.JP Morgan Chase recently announced the Security and Resiliency Initiative (SRI), a $1.5 trillion, 10-year plan to facilitate, finance and invest advanced manufacturing, defense, energy, AI and quantum computing. Dan reacts to Dimon’s recent remarks at the America Business Forum as a defense tech entrepreneur.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Larsen Jenson is a 2x Olympic medalist, former U.S. Navy Seal and founder of Harpoon Ventures and Vector Defense.Their convo covers:- Founders must thrive in discomfort.- Startup failure in the U.S. vs other countries.- Why Harpoon invested in Firestorm.00:00 – Intro.01:41 – The Origin Story: From almond farming to Olympic Silver and Bronze medals.04:10 – Joining the Navy SEALs: Seeing the technology gap on the battlefield.06:15 – The Psychology of Success: Being comfortable in uncomfortable situations.09:40 – Just Start: Overcoming the fear of the unknown.11:34 – The American Edge: Why the US startup culture is unique in the world.15:28 – Failure vs. Scarlet Letters: The difference between US and UK business cultures.19:17 – The Citadel Story: From stadium cameras to saving lives in combat.22:00 – Real Impact: Meeting the soldier whose life was saved by the tech.25:06 – Investment Thesis: Why Harpoon invested in Firestorm.27:16 – The Future of Drone Warfare: The need for mass manufacturing.#Olympian #NavySEALs #EntrepreneurMindset #Leadership #Firestorm #Citadel #MassManufacturing #Startups #Resilience #InvestmentThesisAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Larsen Jenson is a 2x Olympic medalist, former U.S. Navy Seal and founder of Harpoon Ventures and Vector Defense.They dive into:- Founding one of the first defense tech VCs before anyone in Silicon Valley cared.- Geopolitical urgency and rapid tech progress.- VC trends: why physical products are making a comeback.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: The "Tequila Story" and the shift in defense investing.01:23 – Guest Introduction: Larsen Jensen and the Harpoon Ventures mission.03:04 – Defining Dual-Use: How enterprise software powers the government.05:13 – The Catalyst: Moving from counter-terror to Great Power Competition.07:46 – The Hard Truth: Why the best product doesn't always win in the DOD.11:03 – "The Future is Here": Autonomous systems, Ukraine, and structural reform.13:20 – Defense Tech 2.0: Why top talent is finally opting into national security.15:23 – Hardware is Hard (But Sticky): The resurgence of physical tech investing.18:18 – The LLM Movement: Why AI is disrupting white-collar jobs first.20:19 – Efficiency: How AI is rewriting government contracts and saving time.#DefenseTech #VentureCapital #DualUse #NationalSecurity #HarpoonVentures #AI #DeepTech #GovTech #SiliconValley #AcquisitionReformAbout Drone WarsThe 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. 

Founder of Anduril, Palmer Luckey recently appeared on the #1 podcast in the world, the Joe Rogan Experience.Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, Dan Magy reacts to key moments of the show.Topics include:- Dan Driscoll’s AUSA talk.- National security and private companies.- China’s commercial vessels building to military standards.- Should the U.S. become the world’s gun store?About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Brandon Florian has over 20 years of experience in aerospace and defense at Northrop Grumman and Starburst. He’s the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Grid Aero, building rugged, long-range autonomous aircrafts to revolutionize cargo logistics at scale. They cover: Grid Aero is building a “pickup truck of the skies”.  Which top defense primes work the best with startups? What separates successful companies?  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

“Defense is an away game; we’re not going to be able to fight our way in” Stephen Rodriguez is the Founder of One Defense and an Operating Partner at DCVC. He invests in and serves on the boards of leading defense-tech companies, including Applied Intuition, Firestorm, Ursa Major, Mach Industries, and ZeroMark. He chairs Booz Allen’s Defense Technology Board, leads Blue Forge Alliance as Chairman and serves as a Commission Director at the Atlantic Council. This episode covers:  American war fighting patterns.  Defense is an away game.  Replicator Initiative.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Stephen Rodriguez is the Founder of One Defense and an Operating Partner at DCVC. He invests in and serves on the boards of leading defense-tech companies, including Applied Intuition, Firestorm, Ursa Major, Mach Industries, and ZeroMark. He chairs Booz Allen’s Defense Technology Board, leads Blue Forge Alliance as Chairman and serves as a Commission Director at the Atlantic Council. This episode covers: What should our defense policy be? Drone manufacturing reforms.  How to keep up with China.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Ex-SpaceX Dragon Capsule software lead, Karthik Gollapudi, built two-fault-tolerant systems that flew astronauts to the ISS. He left to found Sift, an AI platform that automates testing, manufacturing and observability for rockets, rovers and autonomous fleets. This episode covers: How Sift reduces cognitive load and speeds up manufacturing.  Simplifying complex cloud IT infrastructure. Hire for the vibes, not just IQ.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Ex-SpaceX Dragon Capsule software lead, Karthik Gollapudi, built two-fault-tolerant systems that flew astronauts to the ISS. He left to found Sift, an AI platform that automates testing, manufacturing and observability for rockets, rovers and autonomous fleets. This episode covers: - SpaceX’s young staff & the push for automating everything. - Same job in 12 months = failure.  - Bootstrapping a tech startup team and funding.  Check out Sift: www.siftstack.com.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

A VC pro covers AI ethics, a boom of domestic jobs in tech, and why the gov needs to get out of the way.  Hamlet Yousef is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Irongate Capital Advisors, where he leads investments in early-stage technologies that strengthen national defense. He has worked with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies across disruptive and emerging technology sectors.   About Drone WarsThe 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. 

A VC managing partner discusses lessons from Ukraine, UAS disrupting warfare economics and “venture tourists”.  Hamlet Yousef is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Irongate Capital Advisors, where he leads investments in early-stage technologies that strengthen national defense. He has worked with organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies across disruptive and emerging technology sectors.About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Are our adversaries building ethical AI? Dive into it on the pod with Lt. Col. Joshua “Cabo” Gunderson, former combat pilot, and former Commander of the Air Force F-22 Demo Team. Since leaving active duty, he serves in the Nevada Air National Guard as an F-22 Subject Matter Expert, works for a private company as a corporate pilot flying the Challenger 300 aircraft, and consults for aviation clients.  Hear his takes on ethics in the military, democratizing defense tech, strategic bombardment and advice for the next gen of combat pilots.  About Drone WarsThe 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. 

Are our adversaries building ethical AI? Dive into it on the pod with Lt. Col. Joshua “Cabo” Gunderson, former combat pilot, and former Commander of the Air Force F-22 Demo Team. Since leaving active duty, he serves in the Nevada Air National Guard as an F-22 Subject Matter Expert, works for a private company as a corporate pilot flying the Challenger 300 aircraft, and consults for aviation clients.  Hear his takes on ethics in the military, democratizing defense tech, strategic bombardment and advice for the next gen of combat pilots.  About Drone WarsThe 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.