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 & President of Allen Control Systems
Recent Episodes
April 8, 2026
Inside Valinor Enterprises: What It Takes to Grow in Defense Tech | Kurt Freshley
Kurt Freshley, Chief Growth Officer of Valinor Enterprises, joins the show to break down the company's strategy and portfolio companies while sharing what it actually takes to scale in defense and advanced manufacturing. Kurt...
April 3, 2026
Why U.S. Manufacturing Demand Is Surging Across Defense, Aerospace, and Semiconductors
Jamie Goettler (CRO, BTX Precision) breaks down what’s actually happening inside U.S. advanced manufacturing right now. Demand across defense, aerospace, semiconductors, and medical devices is surging at the same time, but th...
March 28, 2026
Turning Water Into Hydrogen for Military Drones & Backup Power | Rick Harlow
Rick Harlow, founder of NovaSpark Energy, joins the show to break down how his company turns water into hydrogen for military drones, backup power, and off-grid energy systems. The conversation covers defense use cases, disas...
March 20, 2026
How The Iran War is Changing Defense Tech Investing | Patrick Blumenthal
Patrick Blumenthal (Investor at Anomaly Fund) returns to break down how venture capital actually works in defense, what makes founders worth backing, and how geopolitical realities shape investment decisions. Subscribe to our...
March 19, 2026
How Defense Tech Investors Evaluate Startups | Jocelyn Kinsey (DFJ Growth)
Jocelyn Kinsey, Partner at DFJ Growth, joins us for a deep dive into defense tech investing, startup strategy, and the realities of building in the national security ecosystem. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thedroneult...
March 13, 2026
Former Army Ranger on Drone Warfare, Ukraine, and The Future of War | James Lechner
Former U.S. Army Ranger James Lechner joins the podcast to discuss modern warfare, drone combat, and the lessons the West should be learning from Ukraine.Lechner shares experiences from Mogadishu to advising Ukrainian units n...
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