Drone Wars

Troy Smothers is a former U.S. Marine Corps infantry sergeant who had the opportunity to train alongside Ukrainian soldiers and develop a deep appreciation for the people and culture of Ukraine.  Following Russia’s invasion, he traveled to Ukraine to assess the situation and consider how he could best help.  He founded American Made Freedom, a non-profit that assists Ukrainian troops with fiber-optic drones.About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

This podcast was started to give a voice to small defense companies in an industry dominated by massive primes.  Our platform has now evolved into something more multifaceted. We’ve expanded our conversations into a space where global geopolitics, culture, entrepreneurship, venture capital, history, military and government all intertwine.   Our mission remains the same: serve the warfighters, the innovators, the builders and the thinkers who are rewriting what’s possible within the defense ecosystem.  We’re asking the hard questions and shedding light on the real state of the industry because we believe our warfighters deserve the best tech on the market.  Join the movement➡️ subscribe nowAbout Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Nathan Mintz, co-founder and CEO of CX2 and former Boeing/Raytheon engineer, builds spectrum dominance and counter‑UAS tools. He explains why locating ground controllers matters more than jamming drones. He shares field tests that find hidden pilots, rapid development wins, investor signals for defense startups, and how AI and middleware can tie drone systems together.

Ian Muceus is our Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer here at Firestorm. He started his career: - Studying under the “father” of the F-22 (Bruce Wright).  - Designing aircraft for NASA’s Ames Research Center.  - Obtaining his private pilot’s license.  - Developing a sUAS for aerial data collection.  Since then, he has:  - Supported federal agencies with tech consulting. - Obtained numerous 3D printing and aerospace patents. - Contributed to over $4 billion of successful startup exits to Oracle, Twilio and Stratasys.  About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Jeff Wright is the Founder and CEO, SplashOne Robotics, the world’s first technology company to develop and dominate low-altitude air superiority. About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Jackie Barbieri is the CEO and co-founder of WhiteSpace, a defense tech company applying advanced AI to real-world national security and operational challenges.  Her work bridges AI, defense innovation, and operator-informed design, building systems that perform in contested, real-world environments. About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Jarren Reid is the CEO and Co-Founder of Usul, an AI platform that helps companies win government contracts across 60+ nations. Its goal is to build a global marketplace for governments to buy products quickly, starting with defense. About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Andy Markoff is a former Special Operations Officer in the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and currently the Co-Founder and CEO of Smack Technologies, which uses deep reinforcement learning and machine learning to accelerate critical decision-making from the command center to the front lines. Dan and Andy discuss speeding up military kill-chains and command decisions for better "decision dominance" in future conflicts, especially amid rising Indo-Pacific tensions.About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Lito Villanueva is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a communications specialist, and was most recently a combat drone pilot in Ukraine. Born in the Philippines and raised in a military family in California, he served in the Air Force before working with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and supporting Joint Special Operations Command through a Special Missions Unit. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lito volunteered on the ground, initially delivering humanitarian aid across the country, before applying his expertise to tactical communications with the International Legion of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In his last assignment before his service ended, Lito was a Team Leader for a drone team in 3rd Regiment Ukrainian Special Operational Forces. A combat veteran of multiple wars, Lito now supports frontline efforts in Ukraine in a civilian capacity, applying capital investments in critical technologies, and sharing operational lessons learned with military units and leaders in the United States. About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry. 

Lito Villanueva is a U.S. Air Force veteran, a communications specialist, and was most recently a combat drone pilot in Ukraine. Born in the Philippines and raised in a military family in California, he served in the Air Force before working with the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and supporting Joint Special Operations Command through a Special Missions Unit. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Lito volunteered on the ground, initially delivering humanitarian aid across the country, before applying his expertise to tactical communications with the International Legion of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. In his last assignment before his service ended, Lito was a Team Leader for a drone team in 3rd Regiment Ukrainian Special Operational Forces. A combat veteran of multiple wars, Lito now supports frontline efforts in Ukraine in a civilian capacity, applying capital investments in critical technologies, and sharing operational lessons learned with military units and leaders in the United States. About Drone WarsThe Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines. Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry.