10 Years of the Drone Radio Show: A Look Back, A Flight Forward: Randy Goers, Host and Creator
Release Date: 07/29/2025
What Happens When GPS Disappears? - Matt McCrann, U.S. CEO of SPARC AI
Drone Radio Show
Matt McCrann is U.S. CEO of SPARC AI. SPARC AI develops software that enables precision navigation and target acquisition for drones and autonomous systems operating in GPS-denied environments. Its flagship platform, Overwatch, is a software-only, hardware-agnostic solution that transforms the sensors already onboard a drone into a resilient positioning system—without requiring additional hardware. The platform also supports detection, tracking, and multi-drone coordination, providing operators with greater situational awareness in contested environments. Matt leads SPARC AI's...
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How PyroDelta Is Turning Waste Heat into Drone Power: Michael Abdelmaseh, Head Engineer at PyroDelta Energy
Drone Radio Show
Michael Abdelmaseh is Head Engineer at PyroDelta Energy. Pyrodelta has spent nearly a decade cracking a problem that stumped the entire thermoelectric industry. The company's patented Capillary Casting process produces solid-state thermoelectric generators that convert waste heat into clean, stable electricity across applications spanning AI data centers, combustion engines, agriculture, and unmanned aerial vehicles. In February 2026, PyroDelta launched a Florida-based manufacturing facility producing custom-designed, defect-free thermoelectric crystals, directly addressing North...
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Can America Rebuild the Drone Stack? - Mike Horton, CEO of HYFIX
Drone Radio Show
Mike Horton is CEO and co-founder of HYFIX, a Santa Clara company developing U.S.-made positioning, navigation, communications, and computing technology for autonomous systems. The company’s H1P platform integrates flight control, positioning, communications, and onboard compute into a single architecture. HYFIX is also working on resilient navigation technologies designed for environments where traditional GPS may be jammed, spoofed, or unavailable. Mike is a veteran technology entrepreneur with decades of experience in navigation, sensors, and autonomous systems. At HYFIX, he and his team...
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Next Level Integration of Drones into Public Safety: Ryan Bracken, Versaterm
Drone Radio Show
Ryan Bracken is Head of Product and Security at Versaterm. Versaterm is a leading provider of public safety software that helps police, fire, EMS, and emergency communications agencies manage every stage of incident response. Its integrated platform combines computer-aided dispatch, records management, mobile data, real-time intelligence, and analytics to improve operational efficiency and situational awareness. Through its integration of DroneSense, Versaterm extending that platform to include drones, enabling agencies to dispatch, monitor, and manage them alongside traditional public...
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Who Builds the Sky? Why Economic Partnerships — Not Tech Companies — May Hold the Key to Unlocking Advanced Air Mobility: Lavera Alexander, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
Drone Radio Show
Lavera Alexander is Chief Growth Officer at the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MPED). MBEP is a cross-sector nonprofit that convenes business, government, education, and community leaders to drive economic growth across the tri-county Monterey Bay region, and it sits at the heart of what may be the highest concentration of advanced air mobility companies anywhere in the United States. For years, much of the conversation around drones and advanced air mobility has focused on the aircraft themselves—better batteries, new sensors, autonomy, and the promise of electric air taxis and...
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The Future of Security: How Titan Protection Is Scaling Drone Operations: Ryan Smith, CEO and Founder
Drone Radio Show
Ryan Smith id Founder and CEO of Titan Protection and Consulting. Titan Protection is a premier security services provider and pioneer in autonomous drone security systems. The company was founded in 2008 to prove that physical security services could be both more effective and affordable. Today, Titan Protection employs over 600 people, and protects hundreds of companies across the Midwest with operations extending nationwide. Titan developed one of the first successful remote pilot drone security programs and became the first security company authorized by the...
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Building a Vertically Integrated Drone Ecosystem: Linda Montgomery and Phil Franklin, Zenatech
Drone Radio Show
Linda Montgomery is Vice-President of Corporate Development, and Phil Franklin is Vice-President of Business Development for North and South America both at Zenatech. Zenatech is rapidly expanding its footprint across the drone industry through manufacturing, software development, drone as a service, operations, and strategic acquisitions. The company develops autonomous drone platforms for surveying, inspections, logistics, inventory management, and emerging defense applications while integrating AI software and data analytics into a unified ecosystem. At Zantec,...
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Smart Materials and the Rise of Ornithopters: Dr. Onur Bilgen, Rutgers University
Drone Radio Show
Dr. Onur Bilgen is Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University. Dr. Bilgen conducts research in the design of advanced drone systems, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, hybrid drone systems, and bioinspired ornithopters — flapping wing drones modeled after the flight of birds and insects. His work also explores the use of smart materials and innovative aerospace system designs. Onur has led NASA University Student Research Challenge projects, including the development of a Multi-Mode Hybrid Unmanned Delivery...
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Inside the Future of Drones: Policy, Security, and What XPONENTIAL 2026 Reveals – with Michael Robbins, AUVSI
Drone Radio Show
Michael Robbins is President and CEO of Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International or AUVSI, the world’s largest trade association for uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomous technologies. Representing both commercial and defense sectors, AUVSI plays a critical role in connecting industry, influencing policy, and helping define how these technologies are deployed at scale. Michael brings deep experience across government, aviation, and advocacy. He previously served as Chief Advocacy Officer at AUVSI, co-founded the consulting firm Intrepid, and held leadership roles at the...
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Persistent Flight in the Stratosphere - Justin Selfridge, Phd. and CEO of Devorto
Drone Radio Show
Justin Selfridge, PhD, is Founder and CEO of Devorto Corporation. Devorto is developing a breakthrough high-altitude platform called the Tethered Uni-Rotor Network, or TURN—a completely new aircraft architecture designed to combine the vertical lift and loitering capability of a helicopter with the aerodynamic efficiency of an airplane, enabling long-duration, solar-powered flight in the stratosphere. At Devorto, leads the development of this next-generation persistent drone technology. Backed by both private investment and government support from organizations like NASA, the U.S. Air Force,...
info_outlineIn this special anniversary episode of the Drone Radio Show podcast, I reflect on a decade of conversations that have helped shape and document the evolution of the drone industry. Since 2015, the Drone Radio Show has featured 446 interviews with the pioneers, innovators, regulators, and changemakers redefining what drones can do. I revisit the major themes that emerged—from commercial adoption and regulatory milestones to lifesaving missions, educational advances, and the rise of autonomous systems. More than just a retrospective, this episode is a heartfelt thank-you to the guests, listeners, and global drone community who’ve made the show a trusted voice in the UAS world. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the podcast, join me in celebrating ten years of insight, impact, and imagination—and get ready for what’s next.