Go/No-Go Skydio CEO Adam Bry explores how autonomy and AI are reshaping drones; what happened after a Waymo killed a cat; revisiting the history of civilian drones
Skydio CEO Adam Bry joins Go/No-Go to talk about how drones have evolved from toys to tools to infrastructure, and how autonomy and AI could help American manufacturers regain ground in an industry long dominated by China.
Jon and Alex also cover this week’s headlines: the FCC’s new authority to ban DJI drones, private jet owners renting engines during supply shortages, the death of San Francisco’s bodega cat KitKat by a Waymo car, Coca-Cola’s recall over possible metal contamination, a chip startup challenging ASML, and the rise of luxury “superfakes.”
The episode closes with a Reconstruction segment on the modern history of civilian drones, from the early hobbyist days and GoPro’s Karma to DJI’s global dominance and the ongoing effort to rebuild a secure supply chain.
Other links from the discussion:
The FCC gives itself power to make a DJI drone ban stick: https://www.theverge.com/report/808104/fcc-order-retroactive-ban-transmitter-national-security
Private jet owners are renting aircraft engines amid shortages: https://www.ft.com/content/d97e30cf-ac15-40a6-a630-86a50745c28b
Waymo confirms its car killed San Francisco’s beloved bodega cat, KitKat: https://missionlocal.org/2025/10/waymo-confirms-its-car-killed-kitkat-mission-bodega-cat/
Coca-Cola recalls several products for potential metal contamination: https://www.today.com/food/recall/coca-cola-recall-2025-rcna239130
A startup challenges ASML’s dominance in chipmaking equipment: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/technology/can-a-start-up-make-computer-chips-cheaper-than-the-industrys-giants.html
How “superfakes” transformed luxury fashion and weakened major brands: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/fake-handbags-fashion-luxury-dupes-b2827074.html
A massive airship spotted over San Francisco hints at the future of sustainable flight: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/pathfinder-1-airship-san-francisco/3971667/
Reports of disguised DJI drones sold through major retailers to evade restrictions: https://www.theverge.com/report/714103/dji-skyrover-x1-evade-ban-amazon