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Artwork for The Drone Ultimatum

The Drone Ultimatum

Allen Control Systems (ACS)
Drones
Defense Technology
Ukraine
China
Artificial Intelligence
Drone Technology
Navy
Russia
National Security
Logistics
Ukraine-Russia Conflict
War
Drone Warfare
Military Technology
Department Of Defense
Neros Technologies
Ukraine Conflict
Aerospace
Drone Swarms
Spacex

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes84Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for The Drone Ultimatum

Latest Episodes

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) Mappi... more

Zane Mountcastle is the co-founder and CEO of Picogrid, a defense technology company building the software and hardware infrastructure layer that connects drones, sensors, autonomous systems, and command platforms into unified operational networks.

more

Ben Cipperley is the Chief Strategy Officer of HavocAI and a former Navy EOD officer who spent more than two decades in the Navy, including work on robotics, autonomy, and the Navy’s strategic modernization efforts.

(00:00) Intro

(01:21) Ben’s Navy... more

Weston Moyer and Jonathan Rue of MVP Ventures join The Drone Ultimatum to discuss defense tech investing, AI, robotics, aerospace, manufacturing, and what it takes for startups to scale in national security.

00:00:00 — Intro

00:02:13 — Anthropic an... more

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Recent Guests

Zane Mountcastle
Co-founder and CEO of Picogrid
Picogrid
Episode: Picogrid and the Defense Integration Problem | Zane Mountcastle
Ben Cipperley
Chief Strategy Officer at Havoc AI
Havoc AI
Episode: How Drones and Autonomous Boats Are Reshaping Maritime Warfare | Ben Cipperley
Weston Moyer
Managing partner at MVP Ventures
MVP Ventures
Episode: Defense Investing in the Age of AI, China, and Industrial Competition | Weston Moyer & Jonathan Rue
Jonathan Rue
Partner for government affairs solutions
MVP Ventures
Episode: Defense Investing in the Age of AI, China, and Industrial Competition | Weston Moyer & Jonathan Rue
Nick LaRovere
Co-founder and CEO of Pryzm
Pryzm
Episode: How Pryzm Is Building the AI OS for Defense Procurement | Nick LaRovere
David Michelson
Thesis Leader, Drones at Rebuild Manufacturing
Rebuild Manufacturing
Episode: Reindustrializing Drone Manufacturing in the U.S. | David Michelson, Re:Build Manufacturing
Soren Monroe-Anderson
Co-founder and CEO of Neros Technologies
Neros Technologies
Episode: Building Mass Produced Drones for Modern Warfare | Soren Monroe-Anderson, Neros
Nathan Mintz
Co-founder and CEO of CX2, defense technology entrepreneur focused on electronic warfare and spectrum dominance
CX2
Episode: Epirus to CX2: Electronic Warfare and the Future of Drone Defense | Nathan Mintz
Kurt Freshley
Head of Growth at Valinor
Valinor
Episode: Inside Valinor Enterprises: What It Takes to Grow in Defense Tech | Kurt Freshley

Host

Steve Simoni
Host of The Drone Ultimatum, co-founder and President of Allen Control Systems

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 65 ratings
  • Host Cant Focus

    The host just randomly jumps from question to question often reverting back to talking about himself . Felt like I was in the basement of two 24-year-old kids who played video games and eat Ramen noodle all day and find inspiration in Beavis and Butthead

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    St. Bozman
    United States2 months ago
  • Steve you need to do a show on the battery and power systems and standardization efforts versus the proliferation of batteries across drone platforms. Please

    Podcast Addict
    5
    nholo
    a year ago
  • Great guests, important topic!

    Extremely interesting discussions about a critical topic. Keep up the stellar work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    russo japanese
    United Statesa year ago
  • Definitely worth a listen!

    Great podcast for anyone interested in defense and especially defense tech.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NicBans
    United States2 years ago
  • Great Guests and Topics!

    A great podcast. Brings a casual “Joe Rogan” feel to what’s usually an overproduced and stiff genre (defense/policy). Highly recommend to anyone interested in defense or tech!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jusherr
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Casual, approachable tone without sacrificing technical depth.
Guests regularly bring actionable perspectives for startups and primes alike.
Bright, practical discussions with strong industry insights.
The host keeps a sharp focus on defense tech with solid guest lineups.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#61
Belgium/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#118
Ukraine/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Drones and Autonomous Boats Are Reshaping Maritime Warfare | Ben Cipperley
Q: So wait, what drew you to join Havoc?
Ben explains that his Navy background and work on navigation plans around robotic and autonomous systems aligned perfectly with Havoc's mission, and the opportunity to pivot traditional fleets toward a scalable, autonomous framework was a strong draw.
Picogrid and the Defense Integration Problem | Zane Mountcastle
Q: What are the core products and how do they work?
The core software product, Legion, solves the data integration problem by normalizing feeds from multiple sources and enabling controlled data and command handoffs between systems, while the hardware integration kits extend this capability into the field, enabling rapid, secure deployments without having to rewrite firmware on every device.
Picogrid and the Defense Integration Problem | Zane Mountcastle
Q: For the audience, tell us what Picogrid is.
Picogrid is building the foundational hardware and software infrastructure to fuse sensors, drones, cameras, robotics, and weapons systems into a scalable, connected network so data can be shared and decisions can be coordinated across multi-domain theaters.
Defense Investing in the Age of AI, China, and Industrial Competition | Weston Moyer & Jonathan Rue
Q: What stage do you typically invest in Skyways and similar ventures?
We tend to invest early, with Skyways at the seed stage, preferring pragmatic founders who can execute and scale quickly.
Defense Investing in the Age of AI, China, and Industrial Competition | Weston Moyer & Jonathan Rue
Q: How do you source deals for defense tech investments?
We take a data-driven approach and built our own sourcing software, Jarvis, which has been instrumental in finding about 80% of our portfolio companies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Drone Ultimatum

What is The Drone Ultimatum about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A focused show on drones, defense tech, and modern warfare, featuring industry leaders, investors, military veterans, and policy experts. Episodes center on electronic warfare, defense manufacturing, space and naval autonomy, and the intersection of geopolitics with technology. The format blends practical industry insights with candid anecdotes about fundraising, government contracting, and real-world defense challenges, making it a strong fit for listeners seeking actionable takeaways for startups, primes, or defense-focused brands. A notable pattern is the willingness to cover tricky policy implications, geopolitical risk, and the realities of scaling complex defense technologies for national security use cases.

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How many listeners does The Drone Ultimatum get?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Drone Ultimatum?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Drone Ultimatum:

1. Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist
2. Relentless
3. Defense & Aerospace Report
4. Drone Wars Podcast
5. All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

How many episodes of The Drone Ultimatum are there?

The Drone Ultimatum launched 2 years ago and published 84 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Drone Ultimatum?

Recent guests on The Drone Ultimatum include:

1. Zane Mountcastle
2. Ben Cipperley
3. Weston Moyer
4. Jonathan Rue
5. Nick LaRovere
6. David Michelson
7. Soren Monroe-Anderson
8. Nathan Mintz

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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