Tactics & Tech Podcast (TTP)

5 days ago

Why UAS Is the Next Cyber Frontier - DroneSec GM Darren DelSignore Pt 1

This week Darren DelSignore joins Josh for Part 1 of a conversation on the parallels between cybersecurity and UAS threat intelligence, and why drone-related risk is reaching a decade-long inflection point. Darren is the General Manager of DroneSec, joining the company after five years at Google running sales for VirusTotal, the cyber threat intelligence platform widely used across the public sector, military and intelligence community. Darren maps the current UAS threat picture onto the early days of cyber: a constantly shifting cat-and-mouse game where today's most effective counter tool can be obsolete in a year. He argues the intelligence layer matters more than any single piece of hardware, and explains how a $1,000 drone and a few hours of practice are already letting organised criminals move contraband into prisons and even lift people out of them. The conversation also covers why bureaucracy gives bad actors a real speed advantage, and why a globally shared intelligence picture is what gives the good guys a chance to keep up. Key takeaways (00:00 to 02:30) From VirusTotal to DroneSec (02:30 to 05:30) Finance, then cybersecurity, now drones (05:30 to 09:00) Why the intel layer wins (09:00 to 11:00) Today's tool, tomorrow's relic (11:00 to 13:30) $1,000 buys you a problem (13:30 to 15:00) Bad guys move faster Stick around for Part 2 next week!

17 min

5 days ago · Bonus

You Might Also Like: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

Introducing Defies Explanation Vol. II from MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories. Follow the show: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories Today’s podcast will feature 2 stories about unexplainable phenomena. The audio from both of these stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #2 -- "Two Faced" -- A man is filled with a deep sense of foreboding after a ghastly sight in his mirror (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6m1ImVG1MQ) #1 -- "Make It Rain" -- An inmate has an incredibly weird ability (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXd2m_4oBuY) You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

14 June

Smart Mass: Joni Sytsma Pt 2 - on Counter-UAS Rockets, Components and Australia's Drone Future

This week Joni Sytsma returns for Part 2 to talk about the Western drone industry's inflection point, building counter-UAS interceptors from drone components, and her vision for sovereign Australian manufacturing. Joni argues that the US ban on foreign drone components is creating a vacuum Australian makers can fill, provided they can build the picks and shovels: the autopilots, flight controllers, motors and ESCs that every platform depends on. She explains her own approach at Rocket Fast Drones, where in-house fabrication is cutting costs and reducing reliance on overseas suppliers, while a recent test flew one of her autopilots to 5,000 feet on a rocket in New South Wales. The episode also looks at her safety-first destructive testing program, why she believes smart mass delivered by rocket-launched interceptors could be a missing piece of the counter-UAS puzzle, and her vision for keeping Australia worth living in. Key takeaways (01:01 to 03:30) US bans and the Western inflection (03:30 to 07:00) Picks and shovels, not just gold (07:00 to 09:00) Big Bird and SpaceX dreams (09:00 to 11:00) Safety, thermals, walking the drone (11:00 to 13:30) Aerospace jobs for Brisbane (13:30 to 17:00) Rocket-launched counter-drone interceptors (17:00 to 19:30) Keeping Australia good If you missed Part 1, go back and catch the build-it, crash-it, rebuild-it story first.

23 min

7 June

Build It, Crash It, Rebuild It: Joni Sytsma on Speed, Sovereign Hardware and Saving Lives

This week Joni Sytsma joins Josh to talk about counter-UAS, hypersonics and the engineering philosophy behind her new high-speed medical delivery drone. An aerospace engineer with a career spanning micro air vehicles, hypersonics, space launch and counter-drone systems, Joni is now founder of Rocket Fast Drones, where she is developing a VTOL platform purpose-built around the medical golden hour. Joni walks through a career arc that began building autonomous aircraft at the University of Florida in 2004, ran through US Air Force Research Laboratory (including early work on the loitering munition that became Switchblade), pivoted into hypersonics and the AIM-260 air-to-air missile, then brought her to Australia for the HiFire program, Gilmore Space, and a stint as CTO of Department 13. She also unpacks how leading the $200M iLaunch program sharpened her conviction that sovereign hardware, not software, is the real bottleneck for the entire sector. The episode also looks at her build-fly-crash-rebuild methodology, why she believes speed will define the next generation of drones, and her mission to make Australian-made medical delivery drones a reality. Key takeaways (00:00 to 03:50) From uni drones to Switchblade (03:50 to 06:00) Sequestration, hypersonics, then Australia (06:00 to 09:00) Pokemon counter-drone at Department 13 (09:00 to 11:55) iLaunch and sovereign space manufacturing (11:55 to 14:30) Rocket Fast Drones and the Western inflection (14:30 to 16:30) AeroMed 1000 and the golden hour (16:30 to 19:30) Build it, crash it, rebuild it Stick around for Part 2 next week!

21 min

31 May

From Drone Racing to the Battlefield: Keirin Joyce Part 2

Wing Commander Keirin Joyce returns for Part 2 of his Tactics & Tech conversation, turning to where uncrewed systems are heading next. Drawing on his PhD in technology prediction, Keirin argues the hardware problems are largely a matter of time, while the real challenges lie in software, autonomy, and trust. In conversation with hosts Andrew Crowe and Josh Bailey, Keirin explains why certification has become the long pole in the tent for the whole industry, from AI-generated code that 1990s-era standards were never built to handle, to hydrogen-electric propulsion no aviation safety authority yet knows how to certify. The tension is clear: in a society that grants no trust until something is certified, regulation may be a bigger brake on progress than technology. The episode also looks at how military drone racing builds social licence for drones, opens STEM pathways into defence industry and academia, and creates adaptive sport for injured and veteran personnel. Key takeaways (00:00 to 01:15) The ScanEagle began as a tuna-spotting aircraft before soldiers repurposed it for surveillance, a perfect example of Keirin's theme that technology becomes powerful or not depending on how people use it. (02:28 to 04:55) Military drone racing is gaining momentum, with upcoming events in the US and UK, growing interest from Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore, and a possible event in Australia's north around 2027. (05:22 to 06:45) Hardware is advancing steadily, but software, AI and autonomy are the hard problems, along with how to trust code a human did not write. (06:52 to 07:55) Certification is the biggest bottleneck, with software standards rooted in 1990s aircraft practice and poorly suited to AI-generated code. (08:23 to 09:55) Hydrogen-electric propulsion is a major focus for new designs, yet no safety authority anywhere has a regulation for certifying it. (09:55 to 10:55) Regulation, not technology, may be the primary constraint, with the real challenge being the balance between under and over regulation. (12:36 to 13:25) Australia has grown to around 30,000 remote pilot licences in a decade, while the regulator's capacity has not kept pace. (13:25 to 16:25) Military drone racing is building social licence, STEM and recruitment pathways, and adaptive sport for veterans, with a pitch for Invictus around 2031.

25 min

24 May

250 Kilos, 750 Kilometres, Fully Uncrewed - with Keirin Joyce

Wing Commander Keirin Joyce returns to Tactics & Tech to discuss some of the most significant uncrewed systems work underway in Australia today. Fresh off the country's sixth Military International Drone Racing Tournament, Keirin provides an in-depth look at Camel Train, an aerial autonomous logistics project built on an Australian Jabiru aircraft fitted with a fully sovereign autonomy stack. The platform is designed to carry 250kg over 750km to any location with a suitable landing strip, without a pilot on board. In conversation with hosts Andrew Crowe and Josh Bailey, Keirin explains the project's civilian and defence applications, the regulatory pathway being navigated through a CASA experimental certificate, and why Australia is uniquely positioned to lead the world in uncrewed systems development. Our discussion also explores the Corvo X small UAS, eight years in the making, and how military drone racing has evolved from a way to support soldiers' hobbies into a genuine proving ground for emerging tactics. Key takeaways Camel Train is a sovereign Australian capability, integrating technology from RF Design, CubePilot, Revolution Aerospace and Mission Systems into a single common autonomy stack. The platform is designed to carry 250kg over 750km to anywhere a light sports aircraft can land, with the goal of going fully uncrewed at an upcoming flight test in South Australia. A CASA experimental pathway is deliberately enabling the technology to proliferate into the commercial sector, with clear humanitarian value such as resupplying communities cut off by cyclones. Australia is helping drive international detect-and-avoid standards, including the newly released certification standard, putting local industry at the cusp of being first to market. The Corvo X small UAS is the standout of Keirin's career, eight years in the making, now the only belly-sitter VTOL small UAS in service anywhere and available in a non-ITAR export version. Military drone racing began as a way to support soldiers' hobbies and quickly became a tactics incubator, with the 2022 Ukraine experience validating ideas the teams had been exploring since 2017. Recent tournament serials show sport translating directly into tactics, from precision payload delivery to aerial jousting, where the Australian Navy team scored a standout intercept. Stick around for Part 2 next week!

20 min

20/04/2025

Thinking Like the Bad guys: Counter-Drone Tactics & Tech with Department 13's Ben Westgarth

🔍 Episode Summary: In this episode, we sit down with the Chief Technology Officer of Department 13, a leading Australian counter-drone company, to explore how they're reshaping the fight against rogue and non-cooperative drone threats. We dive into the real-world challenge of drone detection and takeover, the philosophy behind resilient electronic warfare systems, and why traditional jamming isn't enough. From audio signal processing to RF exploitation, the CTO shares his unique journey from self-taught software engineer to leading one of Australia's most advanced drone defense tech teams. This episode unpacks how Department 13 is building smart, low-signature, protocol-based takeover systems that don't just jam—they outthink. 🔑 Key Topics Covered: From Hacking Audio to Drones – How a career in digital audio signal processing evolved into RF-based drone defense. Protocol-Based Takeover – Why precision, not power, wins the counter-drone battle. Resilience Over Reaction – Designing systems that anticipate future threats, not just today's. Non-Cooperative Users – The growing problem of unauthorized drones over prisons, critical infrastructure, and conflict zones. Real-World Deployments – How Department 13 detects hundreds more drones than site owners expect. System-of-Systems Mindset – Why integration is the key to solving drone threats at scale. If you're interested in how to counter the growing threat of small drones—without starting an RF arms race—this is one you don't want to miss. Want a database of drone TTPs and searchable Lessons Learned? Get it for your team: https://dronesec.com/?ttp Find out more: https://department13.com/ or contact on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/department13 You can find more details on our website at: www.ttpod.net/ or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ttpod

30 min

23/03/2025

Robotic Javelin Fire & Building Uncrewed Systems Startups with Stephen Bornstein

In this episode of the Tactics & Tech podcast, we're joined by Stephen Bornstein, founder of Cyborg Dynamics Engineering and Managing Director of Athena AI. Stephen walks us through the story behind Australia's first robotic Javelin missile fire, shares how AI-driven battlefield tech is transforming the fight, and offers rare insight into what it really takes to build a defence tech startup in Australia. This episode is packed with lessons on the future of uncrewed systems! 🔑 Key Takeaways: Robotic Javelin Fire – His team conducted Australia's first live Javelin missile fire from a robotic platform, pushing the boundaries of UGV firepower. Startup to Scale-Up – From an Army Reservist and aerospace engineer to leading two cutting-edge defence tech companies. AI for Decision Dominance – AI compresses the decision-making cycle by integrating target recognition, geospatial terrain analysis into live battle maps. Dual-Use Pivot – Originally defence-focused, both Athena and Cyborg have expanded into civil applications like perimeter security and underwater robotics. Breaking Into the U.S. – It took 18 months of collaboration with Tomahawk Robotics before landing their first U.S. contract. UGVs in Warfare – With manpower shortages and the rise of FPV drones, uncrewed ground vehicles offer real mass and casualty reduction potential on the modern battlefield. TTPs, lessons learned and battlefield doctrine for Group 1-3 drones: https://dronesec.com/?ttp ——————————————— Learn more: 🔗 Athena AI 🔗 Cyborg Dynamics Engineering Find more on our website: 🌍 www.ttpod.net Follow us on LinkedIn: 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ttpod

33 min

Tactics & Tech Podcast (TTP)

Why UAS Is the Next Cyber Frontier - DroneSec GM Darren DelSignore Pt 1

You Might Also Like: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

Smart Mass: Joni Sytsma Pt 2 - on Counter-UAS Rockets, Components and Australia's Drone Future

Build It, Crash It, Rebuild It: Joni Sytsma on Speed, Sovereign Hardware and Saving Lives

From Drone Racing to the Battlefield: Keirin Joyce Part 2

250 Kilos, 750 Kilometres, Fully Uncrewed - with Keirin Joyce

Thinking Like the Bad guys: Counter-Drone Tactics & Tech with Department 13's Ben Westgarth

Robotic Javelin Fire & Building Uncrewed Systems Startups with Stephen Bornstein

Ratings & Reviews

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Tactics & Tech Podcast (TTP)

Episodes

Why UAS Is the Next Cyber Frontier - DroneSec GM Darren DelSignore Pt 1

You Might Also Like: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

Smart Mass: Joni Sytsma Pt 2 - on Counter-UAS Rockets, Components and Australia's Drone Future

Build It, Crash It, Rebuild It: Joni Sytsma on Speed, Sovereign Hardware and Saving Lives

From Drone Racing to the Battlefield: Keirin Joyce Part 2

250 Kilos, 750 Kilometres, Fully Uncrewed - with Keirin Joyce

Thinking Like the Bad guys: Counter-Drone Tactics & Tech with Department 13's Ben Westgarth

Robotic Javelin Fire & Building Uncrewed Systems Startups with Stephen Bornstein

Ratings & Reviews

About

Information

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