Drone Wars Podcast
The Drone Wars Podcast covers all things defense and geopolitics. Created by Dan Magy, Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, its mission is to serve the warfighters, the builders and the innovators that all share one common goal: get the best technology into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan speaks with defense tech industry trailblazers, military leaders, venture capital experts, history buffs, engineers, pilots and more, diving deep into the most critical topics in the defense ecosystem.
Russia's Underwater Operations Are Exposing a Major U.S. Blind Spot: Matt Tirman
Matt Tirman is CEO of Bedrock Ocean Exploration, a company using autonomous underwater vehicles and advanced technology to map and explore the ocean floor.
He previously held leadership roles at Satellogic, Descartes Labs, PlanetRisk, and Strategic Social, where he helped expand into defense and intelligence markets and deliver advanced geospatial analytics solutions.
Earlier in his career, he worked with the U.S. Department of Defense as an analyst and speechwriter for senior military leadership in Washington, D.C. and Baghdad, Iraq.
About Drone Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, bu...
Cyber Attacks Are Coming: Bohdan Volyanyuk
Bohdan Volyanyuk is the co-founder and COO of Autonomous Cyber, a defense technology startup building machine intelligence for cyber advantage to ensure U.S. and allied dominance in the fifth domain.
He is a generation-zero immigrant from Ukraine and a former U.S. Army infantry officer.
His experience spans from the physical battlefield to cyber operations, to building technology for national security.
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 t...
The Most Valuable Currency in Defense Tech: Nico Roe
Nico Roe is Founder and CEO of Reach Defense, a private proving ground built to serve the defenders of freedom by providing secure, efficient environments where agencies and innovators can safely test, train, and advance America’s readiness.
A former Navy SEAL with twelve years of service and multiple deployments across the globe, he held leadership roles including Squad Commander, Platoon Commander, and Director of Operations. He was later selected as the Secretary of the Navy’s Industry Fellow at Amazon, where he worked with the company’s drone delivery program and helped shape competitive strategy for special...
How Humanoid Robots Will Change Warfare: Mike LeBlanc
Mike LeBlanc is the co-founder of Foundation Robotics, a defense-focused humanoid robotics company that recently made history by deploying the world's first humanoid combat robots to an active war zone.
He’s the and the author of What If Anger Is the Answer: A Harvard Marine’s Guide to Shaping Aggression.
He previously co-founded Cobalt Robotics and served for 13 years as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, including deployments to Afghanistan and throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
He served with the elite First Recon, Joint Special Operations, and as technology advisor to the Pentagon.
Abou...
Russia Technology Expert Says Ukraine's Drone War Erased the Front Line: Sam Bendett
Sam Bendett is an adviser with CNA's Russia Studies Program, an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and a Senior Associate with the CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program.
His work centers on Russian military technology, uncrewed and autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence.
He is also an honorary "Mad Scientist" with the U.S. Army's Mad Scientist Initiative and a Strategic Advisor with the US National Drone Association.
About Drone Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a...
Why America Can't Build Drone Batteries Without China...Yet: Trent Clawson
Trent Clawson is the Founder & CEO of Titan Batteries, a U.S.-based custom battery pack manufacturer headquartered in Pocatello, Idaho.
Titan has grown into a leading source of NDAA-compliant power solutions for defense and unmanned systems, with over 1,000 custom pack designs spanning multiple chemistries and applications.
Trent's a vocal advocate for battery standardization in the defense drone industry and for rebuilding advanced manufacturing capability here in America.
Titan now operates facilities in Idaho, Utah, and the Netherlands, serving defense, aerospace, and industrial customers worldwide.
About Drone Wars
The Dro...
Attritable Drone Systems Explained
Host Dan Magy, Founder and CEO of Firestorm, dives into the origin of "attritable systems" by the DOW and how this concept has completely shifted the defense tech landscape in the last decade.
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.
One Mine Could Shut Down the Strait of Hormuz for Months: Matthew Walther
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 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...
What 80 Years of Peace Does to a Country's Defense Mindset: Rachel Costello
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, Defense
Innovation 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 Wars
Th...
35,000 Cartel Drone Flights Across the U.S. Border A Year: Robert Almonte
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 Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders an...
HIs Autonomous USV Ran Into Chinese Warships in the Taiwan Strait: Mike Flanigan
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. sma...
Putting a Pyramid on the Moon and Spreading Life Beyond Earth: Ben Haldeman
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 Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and in...
How a Fighter Pilot Is Disrupting Electronic Warfare Training: Clark "Slider" Haymond
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 Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a co...
Comms is the Backbone of National Security: Omar Javaid
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 Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get...
How a Fighter Pilot Is Disrupting Electronic Warfare: Clark "Slider" Haymond
Clark “Slider” Haymond is a former F-15E pilot with the U.S. Air Force and currently COO of Disruptive Electronic Warfare Machines.
Check out DWEM: https://dewm.io/
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.
The Unglamorous Tech Powering the Drone Revolution: Rob Sladen
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 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.
The Warfighter is the Ultimate Innovator: Adam Fife
Adam Fife is the Founder and CEO of Cencore Group, providing secure edge communications, physical security, and containerized solutions for global operations.
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.
Inside Ukraine's Hidden Drone Factories: Brian Streem
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 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 th...
Why 9 Out of 10 Drones in Ukraine Miss Their Targets: John Dulin
John Dulin is Founder and CEO of Modern Intelligence, empowering defense with
responsible A.I. to outsmart, outpace, and overwhelm the enemy.
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.
Tesla Invented the Drone in 1898 and We're Still Copying It: George Dougherty
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 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...
Frontline Ukrainian Drone Operator Speaks Out and Warns America: Illya Sekirin
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 auth...
Ukraine's Elite Drone Unit Explains 65KM Bombers & Mothership FPVs: Major Yurii "Phoenix"
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...
The Pacific War Plan, Information Warfare, and Leading Marines Into Battle: Duane Blank
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 Wars
The Dr...
We Need to Treat American Warfighters Better: Joe Musselman
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 Wars
The Drone Wars Podcas...
New Wave of Consolidation in Defense Tech? Garrett Smith
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 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...
Fiber Optic Drones in Ukraine Could Shape America's Future of Warfare: Troy Smothers
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 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 t...
This is the Drone Wars Podcast
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...
What Defense Gets Wrong About C-UAS: Nathan Mintz
Nathan Mintz is Co-Founder and CEO of CX2, fighting to deliver spectrum dominance for the United States and our Allies.
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.
The Frontlines Need this Contested Logistics Solution: Ian Muceus
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 Wars
The Drone War...
Recoverable Systems Are The Future of Drone Warfare: Jeff Wright
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 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.
Data Overload Can Be Deadly: Jackie Barbieri
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 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...
Stanford Dropout Turned AI Founder at 20: Jarren Reid
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 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.
The AI Arms Race with China: Andy Markoff
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 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 t...
Ukraine Has the BEST Drones in the World: Lito Part IV
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 U...
Combat Drone Pilot in Ukraine Speaks Out: Lito Part III
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 U...
Arriving On the Frontlines of Ukraine: Lito Part II
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 U...
How He Ended Up Fighting in Ukraine: Lito Part I
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 U...
A Century of Drone Wars: Most Prominent Shifts in UAV Combat History
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 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 thi...
The West’s New Defense Marketplace: Mike Sims Part II
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 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 ge...
Becoming a Marine Raider Post 9/11: Mike Sims Part I
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 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 ind...
