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Drone Wars Podcast

Firestorm

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.

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22 episodes
weekly
Avg 35 min
English

Episodes 22

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Wednesday · 46 min
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. 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.
August 19 · 43 min
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 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.
August 5 · 41 min
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 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.
July 29 · 9 min
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.
July 22 · 38 min
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 of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry.
July 16 · 19 min
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 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.
July 8 · 31 min
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 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.
July 1 · 50 min
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. 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 lineup Taiwan Strait transit & Chinese Navy encounter The real numbers behind U.S. USV production Large unmanned surface vessels: hype or hope? Mines in the Strait of Hormuz APFIT: joint Navy & Marine Corps contract win AI in physical manufacturing 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.
June 17 · 40 min
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 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.
June 10 · 26 min
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 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.
June 3 · 37 min
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 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.
May 27 · 29 min
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.
May 20 · 18 min
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.
May 13 · 26 min
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 things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry.
May 6 · 19 min
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.
April 22 · 1 hr
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 frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry.
April 15 · 46 min
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 author of Rise of the Machines: Drone Warfare in the Russia-Ukraine War. 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.
April 8 · 28 min
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 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 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.
April 6 · 40 min
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 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.
April 3 · 58 min
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 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.

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