A podcast for the innovators at the intersection of technology and flight.
The Vertical Space
Latest Episode
#88 Captain Lee Moak: The time for change is now
In this episode, we sit down with Captain Donald Lee Moak, a distinguished aviation leader. With experience spanning military and commercial aviation to boardroom leadership, Lee is known for driving change. He doesn’t just talk about change; he makes it happen. Our discussion centers on three major themes: the urgent need to modernize and privati...
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#88 Captain Lee Moak: The time for change is now
In this episode, we sit down with Captain Donald Lee Moak, a distinguished aviation leader. With experience spanning military and commercial aviation to boardroom leadership, Lee is known for driving change. He doesn’t j...
#87 Arnaud Thiercelin, Orqa: Cutting through the gimmicks and winning the drone marathon
In this episode, we sit down with Arnaud Thiercelin, Chief Product Officer at Orqa, for a bold and eye-opening conversation about the present and future of drones and mobile robotics. Arnaud challenges the status quo, ur...
#86 Carey Cannon: 38 years of rotorcraft development – insights from a Bell Senior Chief Engineer
In this episode, retired Senior Chief Engineer Carey Cannon shares his 38-year journey at Bell Helicopter, talking about the realities of developing and deploying vertical lift aircraft. He discusses why many eVTOL manuf...
#85 Sean Donohue, DFW Airport: A CEO's perspective on running a global airport
In this episode we dive into an engaging conversation with Sean Donohue, CEO of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The discussion covers a broad range of topics such as the significant role of travel and tour...
#84 Jenn Player, Skydio: Autonomous drone operations
In this episode, we sit down with Jenn Player, Vice President of Global Aviation Regulatory Affairs at Skydio and a leading voice in the drone industry, for a deep dive into autonomous drone operations. We start by unpac...
#83 Amit Ganjoo, ANRA: Lessons from the Dallas Key Site UTM implementation
Welcome to 2025! In this episode, we sit down with Amit Ganjoo, the Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies, a global leader in UAS Traffic Management (UTM). This conversation explores Amit’s vision for an integrated airspa...
#82 Bobby Sakaki, UAS Nexus: Drone industrial base, NDAA, Blue UAS
In this episode, we sit down with Bobby Sakaki, an expert in small UAS technology and CEO of UAS Nexus. Bobby shares his insights on the critical role drones play in defense, particularly in light of their impact in Ukra...
#81 Brian Streem, Vermeer: An American founder’s move to Ukraine to build drone tech
In this episode, we speak with Brian Streem, Founder and CEO of Vermeer, about his journey from film production to pioneering drone technology in Ukraine’s defense ecosystem. Brian shares why he relocated to Kyiv, how he...
#80 Joerg Dittrich, JARUS & DLR: Drones, risk, and SORA 3.0
In this episode, we sit down with Joerg Dittrich, a leading expert in drone regulations and one of the minds behind the SORA framework. Joerg shares insights on the evolution of drone integration, the development of the ...