The Drone Ultimatum

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**The Drone Ultimatum**

The preeminent podcast for all things drones, defense tech, defense policy, and modern warfare. Featured guests include industry leaders, policy experts, military warfighters, business titans, and many more. Hosted by Steve Simoni, co-founder and President of Allen Control Systems.

Latest Episodes:

Bullfrog, AI & the Next Era of Drone Warfare | Luke Allen & Scott Hutchins, Allen Control Systems Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Luke Allen is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Allen Control Systems.

Scott Hutchins is the Chief Product Officer at Allen Control Systems.

Allen Control Systems: https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/

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Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

Steve on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensimoni/

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-drone-ultimatum/

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

In this episode, Luke Allen, co-founder and CTO of Allen Control Systems, and Chief Product Officer Scott Hutchins join the podcast to break down the story behind Bullfrog, ACS’s approach to counter-drone defense, and why the company deliberately chose a problem that was extraordinarily difficult to solve.

Luke traces the path from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the founding of Allen Control Systems, including the early experiments and technical problems that ultimately led the team toward autonomous counter-drone systems.

They also get into what it takes to build trust when AI and computer vision are involved in a weapon system, why hardware and robotics companies operate differently from SaaS startups, how ACS thinks about engineering talent and decision-making, and where drone warfare could be heading next.Plus: startup theory, recruiting engineers, the ACS culture, New Orleans company trips, Silicon Valley war stories, Texas, and the possibility of an eventual “ACS Mafia.”

Building The Future of Autonomous Ground Warfare | Nic Adams, Overland AI Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

Nic Adams is the Director of Government Relations at Overland AI.

Nic on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-adams208/

Overland AI: https://www.overland.ai/

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

This week on The Drone Ultimatum, Nic Adams, Director of Government Relations at Overland AI, joins us to discuss what it actually takes for a defense startup to move from promising technology to real military programs.

We cover:

How defense appropriations become actual contracts
The realities of Pentagon procurement and production
Autonomous ground vehicles and the future of land warfare
Why robots will increasingly take on dangerous missions
Lessons from Ukraine and the changing battlefield
Building defense companies that can scale

Nic also shares his perspective on Congress, budgeting, acquisition timelines, and what founders often misunderstand about selling into the Department of Defense.

Leaving Big Tech to Build Defense Technology | Omar Javaid Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

Omar Javaid is the CEO of Rampart Communications, a company that provides resilient wireless communications with physical layer encryption, protecting against cyber and EW threats.

Omar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojavaid/

Rampart Communications: https://rampartcommunications.com/

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

Omar Javaid is the CEO of Rampart Communications, a company developing advanced wireless communications technologies for defense and national security applications. Before founding Rampart, Omar spent years working on cutting-edge communications technology, including time at Qualcomm, giving him a unique perspective on both commercial innovation and military capability.

In this conversation, Omar explains how wireless communications remain one of the most important—and least appreciated—foundations of modern warfare. The discussion explores the technical and operational challenges facing military communications, electronic warfare, and autonomous systems as conflicts continue to evolve.

Steve and Omar also discuss lessons emerging from Ukraine, the changing nature of electronic attack and countermeasures, the realities of building a defense startup, and why solving difficult communications problems creates long-term strategic advantages.

The conversation expands beyond technology into geopolitics, America’s defense industrial base, alliance dynamics, and the importance of preparing for future conflicts. Throughout the episode, Omar combines deep technical experience with broader strategic thinking, offering insights relevant to founders, operators, investors, and defense professionals alike.

How Vertical Autonomy Is Rethinking Tactical Military Drones | Stephen Ziegenfuss Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

Stephen Ziegenfuss is the Co-Founder of Vertical Autonomy, a company building next-generation unmanned systems.

Stephen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-ziegenfuss-6139546/

Vertical Autonomy: https://www.verticalautonomy.com/

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

Follow the show!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

Stephen Zeigenfuss, Co-Founder of Vertical Autonomy, joins The Drone Ultimatum to discuss what it really takes to build tactical unmanned aircraft.

The conversation explores lessons from decades of UAV development, why operator feedback matters more than perfect engineering, what Ukraine has revealed about modern drone warfare, and how Vertical Autonomy is approaching the next generation of Group 3 aircraft.

Whether you’re interested in defense acquisition, military aviation, or the future of autonomous systems, this episode provides a practical perspective on where tactical drones are headed.

The Race to Stop Drones Is Just Beginning | Brett Velicovich, Powerus Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

Brett Velicovich is the founder of Powerus and a former intelligence professional who spent years supporting special operations and drone missions before working alongside frontline units in Ukraine.

Brett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-velicovich-86a3651a/

Brett on X: https://x.com/TheDroneWarrior

Powerus: https://www.power.us/

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/|

Episode Description

In this conversation, Brett explains why he calls Powerus a “revenge business”—a response to years of watching companies ignore feedback from operators with real-world experience. He discusses how lessons learned in Ukraine directly influenced the company’s approach to building and fielding new capabilities.

The discussion explores the accelerating evolution of drone warfare, counter-drone systems, autonomy, and AI. Brett shares why he believes future conflicts will reward speed, adaptability, and distributed systems over traditional assumptions about military power, while also examining how current conflicts are reshaping defense priorities.

The episode also covers defense acquisitions, scaling a startup in the national security ecosystem, and the importance of staying closely connected to operators in the field.

Throughout the conversation, Brett offers an operator’s perspective on where defense technology is heading and what founders should understand before building for the Department of Defense.

Why the Next Battlefield Is Below Ground | Yadin Soffer, Traysar Industries Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Yadin Soffer, co-founder and CEO of Traysar Industries, joins Steve to discuss why the future of warfare may be shifting beneath the surface.

Yadin on X: https://x.com/yadinsoffer

Yadin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadinsoffer/

Traysar: https://www.traysar.com/

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

Follow the show!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

After building and exiting a fintech company, Yadin made the leap into defense to tackle one of the military’s toughest operational problems: autonomous systems for subterranean environments.

The conversation explores how lessons from Ukraine, Gaza, and other modern conflicts are changing assumptions about maneuver warfare. As the air domain becomes increasingly contested by drones and precision fires, Yadin argues that tunnels and underground infrastructure are becoming the next critical battlespace.

Steve and Yadin also discuss what it’s like building an early-stage defense startup—from fundraising and navigating the Pentagon acquisition process to working with DARPA and balancing rapid commercial development with government customers.

The episode closes with a broader discussion on defense innovation, startup strategy, and where autonomous systems are headed over the next decade.

Building the Future of Defense: Investing in Founders, Factories, and Autonomy | Vardan Gattani, 645 Ventures Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Defense venture capital has entered a new era.

In this episode, Steve Simoni speaks with Vardan Gattani, Partner at 645 Ventures, about why investors are increasingly focused on national security, how defense startups are evaluated, and what founders need to build enduring companies.

Vardan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vardangattani/

645 Ventures: https://645ventures.com/

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

Follow the show!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://thedroneultimatum.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

The conversation covers the rise of defense investing, lessons from Shield AI, manufacturing and supply chains, defense procurement, and why the next generation of defense companies will need to excel across both software and hardware.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or simply interested in the future of defense technology, this episode provides an inside look at how one of the industry’s leading venture firms thinks about building category-defining companies.

Dark Factories, AI Agents, and Mass Production for Defense | Dennis DeMeyere, Autonomous Production Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Steve sits down with Dennis DeMeyere, Co-Founder and CEO of Autonomous Production.

Manufacturing capacity has become a strategic advantage. As drones, autonomous systems, and precision weapons reshape modern warfare, the ability to produce at scale is becoming just as important as the technology itself.

Dennis discusses how autonomous factories, AI-powered manufacturing systems, and distributed production networks could transform the defense industrial base.

We explore lessons from Ukraine, the promise and limitations of additive manufacturing, the concept of dark factories, and what it will take to rapidly scale production in the event of a major conflict.

We also discuss:

Autonomous manufacturing
Additive manufacturing and 3D printing
Distributed production networks
AI agents in industrial operations
Drone production at scale
The future of the defense industrial base

David on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisdemeyere/

Jason on X: https://x.com/Jason_Zins

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

Follow the show!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

How Investors Evaluate Defense Startups | Jason Zins, Nomi Capital Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

Jason Zins is the Founder and Managing Partner of Nomi Capital.

Nomi Capital invests across defense, aerospace, manufacturing, space, energy, and national security technologies. Jason shares how his team evaluates defense startups, why they focus on later-stage companies, and what separates durable businesses from hype-driven investments.

We discuss the current state of defense venture capital, manufacturing bottlenecks, the evolution of military technology, defense software, hypersonics, space infrastructure, and why Jason believes defense remains underinvested despite growing attention from investors.

Jason on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-zins-5317aa3a/

Jason on X: https://x.com/Jason_Zins

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni

Follow the show!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Our website: https://www.thedroneultimatum.com/

The Future of Defense Integration, Open Systems, and Edge Computing | John Parkes & Amber Walker, Parry Labs Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Steve sits down with John "JD" Parkes, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Parry Labs, and Amber Walker, Chief Growth Officer.

(00:00) Intro

(01:34) Building Parry Labs

(02:58) Edge computing and electronic warfare

(07:26) Mapping the defense technology ecosystem

(22:06) Advice for defense startups

(31:01) Ukraine and scalable military systems

(32:30) AI at the edge

(44:20) How defense contracting really works

(45:43) Customer acquisition in defense

(52:24) Software business models in defense

(55:30) The hidden factory behind software

(56:54) Why defense still needs system integrators

(58:45) Open architectures and autonomy marketplaces

(01:02:45) Platform risk in defense acquisition

(01:22:06) Why the best product doesn't always win

Parry Labs develops mission-critical software and digital infrastructure that helps military systems communicate, integrate, and operate more effectively in contested environments.

We discuss the evolution of military software, the push toward open architectures, the realities of defense acquisition, and why integration remains one of the hardest problems in defense.

We also discuss AI at the edge, customer acquisition in the defense market, startup competition, and what it takes to build and scale a company serving the Department of Defense.

John Parkes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-parkes-979738b/

Amber Walker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-walker-8a2245a7/

Parry Labs: https://parrylabs.com/

Follow the show!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3F1sc8yzQIF9WcdHQ3w7kf

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drone-ultimatum/id1770994541

X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://x.com/DroneUltimatum

Steve on X: https://x.com/StevenSimoni