Drone Wars

Ellen Chang is a deep-tech investor focused on the maritime and space domains.She is Managing Director at CapZone Impact Investments, and Co-Founder and Co-President of Wharton Aerospace.She served the U.S. Navy as an Intelligence Officer, later working on JP Morgan’s aerospace team and founding a B2B aviation parts sourcing startup. She spent 12 years at Northrop Grumman, holding leadership roles across systems engineering, program management, and advanced systems, with work spanning autonomous air and space platforms.This episode covers:- Taiwan and China geopolitics.- Ukraine War as a preview of future drone warfare.- Why Taiwan rapidly built a domestic drone industry.00:00 - Teaser01:05 - Introduction: Meet deep tech investor Ellen Chang01:42 - Ukraine as the "Spanish Civil War" precursor to WWII tech02:38 - Ukraine's decentralized "factory" model vs. US Bureaucracy04:04 - The Lobbying Game: Why startups need lobbyists early05:28 - Ellen’s Journey: Growing up in Taiwan in the 60s06:46 - Career Path: Navy Intelligence, Banking, and Northrop Grumman08:04 - Leaving the Primes: The early days of DJI and 3D Robotics09:36 - Re-industrializing America: Opportunity Zones and Shipyards10:24 - Taiwan’s economic rise and export-oriented history12:32 - Reshoring manufacturing: Decoupling from Shenzhen and Guangdong13:55 - The Generational Divide: Taiwanese Identity vs. Reunification15:50 - Galvanizing Identity: Lessons from the 2014 invasion of Ukraine17:02 - Successors of Industry: The US-educated "Second Generation"18:58 - Invasion Scenarios: The geography and defensibility of Taiwan20:56 - Building a native drone industry from scratch in two years23:08 - Legacy: Protecting democracy for the next generationAbout Drone Wars Firestorm Studios brings you The Drone Wars Podcast, a show that explores all facets of autonomous systems - ground, air, and sea - and their transformative impact on various aspects of human life, from agriculture to warfare. We feature interviews with CEOs, founders, and C-suite executives from the world's leading autonomy and robotics companies.

Ellen Chang is a deep-tech investor focused on the maritime and space domains. She is Managing Director at CapZone Impact Investments, and Co-Founder and Co-President of Wharton Aerospace.She served the U.S. Navy as an Intelligence Officer, later working on JP Morgan’s aerospace team and founding a B2B aviation parts sourcing startup. She spent 12 years at Northrop Grumman, holding leadership roles across systems engineering, program management, and advanced systems, with work spanning autonomous air and space platforms.This episode covers:- Deep tech investor insights.- Drone adoption and reducing cognitive load.- Why manufacturing scale, not just innovation, wins wars.00:00 - Intro01:07 - Taiwan’s defense strategy: Standing on their own vs. US support03:07 - Geopolitics and the "Chip Deal": China’s path to self-reliance04:42 - The ITAR debate: Should the US "drown the world" in American tech?05:23 - Why the US struggles with "trinkets," motors, and batteries06:39 - Economic Statecraft: Lessons from the Great Depression & WWII08:01 - Revitalizing the Maritime Sector: US vs. China’s $90B investment09:48 - Partnering with allies to accelerate manufacturing speed12:00 - Is American innovation too arrogant? Lessons from South Korea13:08 - The "Hard Tech" Founder Profile: MIT, Stanford, Palantir, and SpaceX14:59 - Ellen’s investment philosophy: De-risking the "Go-to-Market"16:23 - Advice for young people entering the "Defense Tech Rage"17:59 - The Wharton Effect: Why MBAs and Vets are moving into defense19:36 - Defense Tech as an emerging asset class21:01 - AI Infrastructure: Data center risks and 2-year backlogs23:11 - The Future of Autonomy: Adoption challenges in the "System of Systems"25:01 - Lowering the "Cognitive Load": Designing tech for the 18-year-old warfighter26:49 - Moving the Bureaucracy: Using safety arguments to improve UI/UX28:04 - Closing RemarksAbout Drone Wars Firestorm Studios brings you The Drone Wars Podcast, a show that explores all facets of autonomous systems - ground, air, and sea - and their transformative impact on various aspects of human life, from agriculture to warfare. We feature interviews with CEOs, founders, and C-suite executives from the world's leading autonomy and robotics companies.

Chad McCoy is a Co-Founder and the Chief Growth Officer at Firestorm Labs. He’s a Special Operations Veteran and retired Chief Master Sergeant from the United States Air Force’s 24th Special Tactics Squadron.The convo covers:-Importance of a military background as a defense tech founder.-Speeding up DoD adoption.-Firestorm’s strategy.-Winning the Pacific.About Drone Wars Firestorm Studios brings you The Drone Wars Podcast, a show that explores all facets of autonomous systems - ground, air, and sea - and their transformative impact on various aspects of human life, from agriculture to warfare. We feature interviews with CEOs, founders, and C-suite executives from the world's leading autonomy and robotics companies.

Dan reacts to his 12 most viral drone moments on LinkedIn of 2025. Check out his top posts below:12. Counter UAS Fishing11. Chinese Robo-Cop Drone10. Counter UAS Fishing Nets9. Autonomous Aerial Construction8. Russia’s Pearl Harbor7. Tempest in a Suitcase6. The Quad Bomber5. Balloon-Launched 'Eagle'4. Robo Dog Drone3. Liaowan-12. Narco Sub1. Chicken droneAbout Drone Wars Firestorm Studios brings you The Drone Wars Podcast, a show that explores all facets of autonomous systems - ground, air, and sea - and their transformative impact on various aspects of human life, from agriculture to warfare. We feature interviews with CEOs, founders, and C-suite executives from the world's leading autonomy and robotics companies.

Joslyn Tarr is a seasoned UAS engineering leader with deep expertise in aircraft development and systems engineering. She’s worked for several defense companies including Kratos and General Atomics, loves all things aviation and is currently pursuing her private pilot's license. Not to mention she’s our very own Senior Vice President of Engineering here at Firestorm Labs.   This convo covers: - Working for a defense prime vs a startup.- 3-D printing drones.- Rapid prototyping.- Scaling teams at a startup.- Lessons from Ukraine.- Providing the best value for the warfighter.About Drone Wars Firestorm Studios brings you The Drone Wars Podcast, a show that explores all facets of autonomous systems - ground, air, and sea - and their transformative impact on various aspects of human life, from agriculture to warfare. We feature interviews with CEOs, founders, and C-suite executives from the world's leading autonomy and robotics companies.