Drone Wars

Firestorm Studios

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.

  1. Arriving On the Frontlines of Ukraine: Lito Part II

    6 DAYS AGO

    Arriving On the Frontlines of Ukraine: Lito Part II

    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 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.

    26 min
  2. Combat Drone Pilot in Ukraine Speaks Out: Lito Part III

    6 DAYS AGO

    Combat Drone Pilot in Ukraine Speaks Out: Lito Part III

    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 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.

    32 min
  3. How He Ended Up Fighting in Ukraine: Lito Part I

    6 DAYS AGO

    How He Ended Up Fighting in Ukraine: Lito Part I

    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 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.

    25 min
  4. Ukraine Has the BEST Drones in the World: Lito Part IV

    6 DAYS AGO

    Ukraine Has the BEST Drones in the World: Lito Part IV

    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 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.

    38 min
  5. A Century of Drone Wars: Most Prominent Shifts in UAV Combat History

    28 JAN

    A Century of Drone Wars: Most Prominent Shifts in UAV Combat History

    This episode dives into the most prominent shifts in the combat history of UAVs. Dan covers UAV tech from the following eras:   Radio-Controlled Aerial Weapons (WWI 1917). Reconnaissance UAVs (Cold War & Vietnam1950s-1970s). UAVs in the 90s (Desert Storm). UAVs in Iraq and Afghanistan (2001-2021). Mass-Scale, Low-Cost Drone Warfare (Russia-Ukraine War, 2022 - Present). 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.

    23 min
  6. Becoming a Marine Raider Post 9/11: Mike Sims Part I

    21 JAN

    Becoming a Marine Raider Post 9/11: Mike Sims Part I

    Mike Sims is the Co-Founder and CEO of Empirium, a unified marketplace platform connecting verified buyers and suppliers across aerospace, defense and manufacturing.  This episode covers:   9/11 moment that made him drop everything to join the fight.   Arabic language mastery.  Becoming a Marine Raider.  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.

    23 min
  7. The West’s New Defense Marketplace: Mike Sims Part II

    21 JAN

    The West’s New Defense Marketplace: Mike Sims Part II

    Mike Sims is the Co-Founder and CEO of Empirium, a unified marketplace platform connecting verified buyers and suppliers across aerospace, defense and manufacturing.  This convo covers:   Why China dominates 45% of global manufacturing & how we became dangerously dependent.  Building a trusted defense/aerospace marketplace.  Amplifying the voices of end-users. 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.

    26 min
  8. Taiwan, China and the Future of Drone Wars: Ellen Chang Part I

    8 JAN

    Taiwan, China and the Future of Drone Wars: Ellen Chang Part I

    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 - Teaser 01:05 - Introduction: Meet deep tech investor Ellen Chang 01:42 - Ukraine as the "Spanish Civil War" precursor to WWII tech 02:38 - Ukraine's decentralized "factory" model vs. US Bureaucracy 04:04 - The Lobbying Game: Why startups need lobbyists early 05:28 - Ellen’s Journey: Growing up in Taiwan in the 60s 06:46 - Career Path: Navy Intelligence, Banking, and Northrop Grumman 08:04 - Leaving the Primes: The early days of DJI and 3D Robotics 09:36 - Re-industrializing America: Opportunity Zones and Shipyards 10:24 - Taiwan’s economic rise and export-oriented history 12:32 - Reshoring manufacturing: Decoupling from Shenzhen and Guangdong 13:55 - The Generational Divide: Taiwanese Identity vs. Reunification 15:50 - Galvanizing Identity: Lessons from the 2014 invasion of Ukraine 17:02 - Successors of Industry: The US-educated "Second Generation" 18:58 - Invasion Scenarios: The geography and defensibility of Taiwan 20:56 - Building a native drone industry from scratch in two years 23:08 - Legacy: Protecting democracy for the next generation 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.

    23 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Firestorm Studios
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Drone Wars
  • Show Website
    Drone Wars