A podcast for the innovators at the intersection of technology and flight.

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#109 Admiral Phil Kenul: What flying into hurricanes taught him about drone regulation

#109 Admiral Phil Kenul: What flying into hurricanes taught him about drone regulation

Admiral Phil Kenul spent decades flying NOAA aircraft into some of the most dangerous weather on earth, including multiple seasons as a P-3 Orion hurricane hunter, before transitioning into the world of UAS standards, wh...

#108 Alex List, FlyShirley: 'Shirley' there's an opportunity for AI in the flight deck

#108 Alex List, FlyShirley: 'Shirley' there's an opportunity for AI in the flight deck

In this episode we sit down with Alex List, CEO and founder of FlyShirley, a startup building an AI copilot for the cockpit. Alex walks through what AI in aviation actually looks like today: the practical reality of a gr...

#107 Robert Rose, Reliable Robotics: Congressional testimony and conveyor belts in the sky

#107 Robert Rose, Reliable Robotics: Congressional testimony and conveyor belts in the sky

In this episode we reconnect with Robert Rose, CEO of Reliable Robotics, fresh off his testimony before Congress on the state of advanced air mobility. Robert shares what most people misunderstand about FAA certification...

#106 Koen De Vos: U-Space, U-Space… Where Art Thou?

#106 Koen De Vos: U-Space, U-Space… Where Art Thou?

In this episode we sit down with Koen De Vos, Secretary General of GUTMA, to unpack why U-Space still feels more aspirational than operational, and what aviation can learn from industries that have at least partially man...

#105 Ben Ivers, Boeing: Airspace modernization

#105 Ben Ivers, Boeing: Airspace modernization

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Ivers (Boeing’s Director of Emerging Technologies & Regulatory Strategy) to unpack a deceptively simple idea: airspace modernization isn’t optional anymore and the tech to enable...

#104 Edward Barraclough, Drone-Hand: Why ranching will scale autonomy before defense

#104 Edward Barraclough, Drone-Hand: Why ranching will scale autonomy before defense

Autonomy may scale in agriculture long before it does in defense or UAM, and today’s guest makes a compelling case why. We speak with Edward Barraclough, founder and CEO of Drone-Hand, about applying autonomous drones an...

#103 Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines: Raising the ceiling of possibility
The Vertical SpaceOctober 30, 2025
103
00:53:0036.44 MB

#103 Ed Bastian, Delta Air Lines: Raising the ceiling of possibility

In this episode, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian breaks down what truly differentiates a great airline: people and culture. Ed shares why “take care of your people first” isn’t a slogan (it’s Delta’s operating system!) an...

#102 Adam Woodworth, Wing: What aviation looks like at Google scale

#102 Adam Woodworth, Wing: What aviation looks like at Google scale

Adam Woodworth, CEO of Wing (Alphabet’s drone delivery company), joins us to talk about making delivery ubiquitous and why drones should be an equal player alongside other delivery methods. Adam argues we’ve already pass...

#101 Ryan Gury, PDW: Drones, Innovation, and Lady Gaga

#101 Ryan Gury, PDW: Drones, Innovation, and Lady Gaga

Welcome to episode 101 of The Vertical Space. In this conversation, we sit down with Ryan Gury, Co-founder and CEO of Performance Drone Works (PDW). Ryan argues that “commercial is eating aerospace,” and shows why the ce...

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