AvTalk Episode 372: Just because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should
In this episode Ian Pechnick and occasional co‑host Gabe Lee discuss recent aviation news, including the controversy over a YouTuber reverse‑engineering NTSB cockpit‑voice‑recorder spectral data, the China Eastern A350 brake‑failure incident at Shanghai’s jet bridge, and the delayed delivery of Qantas’s A350‑1000 ULRs. They also share highlights from a historic flight in Sweden with a DC‑3 and Texan trainers, and promote the upcoming ILA Berlin airshow with a special Flightradar24 discount. Throughout, the hosts stress the responsibility of sharing technical information ethically and reflect on the practical challenges of long‑haul ultra‑long‑range flights.
Episode 158: Autonomous Robot Deliveries - Ahti Heinla
In Episode 158, host Claire Asher talks with Ahti Heinla, co‑founder and CEO of Starship Technologies, about the company’s fleet of autonomous delivery robots that have completed over 10 million deliveries across Europe and the United States. Heinla explains how the...
Stranded in the Strait of Hormuz
The episode examines the humanitarian and economic fallout of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, focusing on the personal experiences of two seafarers stranded for months amid the U.S.-Iran conflict. Captain Virendra Vishwakarma recounts the peril of loading LPG...
334. Turning Streetlights Into EV Chargers
In this episode, Grayson Brulte talks with James Everly, Director of Business Development at Vault Post, about converting existing streetlights and utility poles into Level‑2 EV chargers. Everly explains how the company’s sleek, customizable chargers leverage existing municipal infrastructure to...
Autonomous Drone Delivery at Scale
In this episode, Kyle Madonia, VP of Application Software and IT at Zipline, discusses how the company’s software stack enables fully autonomous drone deliveries at scale, from order intake through fleet orchestration to safe, precision drop-offs. She explains the engineering...
Transforming Supply Chains Through AI and Strategic Leadership with Vineet Khanna, CEO of Advanter Advisory
In this episode, Vineet Khanna, founder and CEO of Advanter Advisory and former global head of supply chain at Nestlé, discusses how AI and modern orchestration technologies are reshaping supply chain strategy and execution. He outlines six essential capabilities—visibility, integration,...
Hands-Free Charging for Robotaxi Fleets: The Hidden Layer That Makes Robotaxis Profitable
In this episode of Autonomy Insiders, host Daniel interviews Kram Bowman, CEO and co‑founder of Dutch robotics firm Roxas, about the critical role of hands‑free charging for autonomous vehicle fleets. Bowman explains that without drivers, the interface between vehicles and...
Guest Hannah Hurckes of Boss Lady Logistics on Fallout From the Supreme Court’s Broker Decision; Gaining “Momentum” With Agentic AI;...
In this episode, DC Velocity editors discuss three major logistics developments: the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in Montgomery v. Karib Transport 2 LLC that holds freight brokers liable for negligent hiring, the growing momentum of agentic AI in supply‑chain...
The McKinsey Center for Future Mobility’s Bold Claims About the Coming AV Revolution
In this episode of Zag Talk, the hosts discuss the latest Q1 earnings surge for gig‑economy firms like DoorDash, Uber, and Lyft, then dive into McKinsey’s Center for Future Mobility report on autonomous vehicle (AV) projections with guests Darius Skirtu...
Fertilizer, Grain, and Export Groups Seek Federal Action on Critical Vancouver Corridor
In this episode, Michael Bork, CEO of Fertilizer Canada, discusses the critical vulnerabilities of Canada’s export infrastructure, focusing on the aging Second Narrows rail bridge in Vancouver and other pinch points that threaten the flow of prairie commodities to global...
333. The Brain Behind AI-Powered Vehicles
In this episode, Qualcomm VP Ashiman Saxena explains the evolution of the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, a unified AI-driven platform that serves as the vehicle’s brain, integrating cockpit experiences, safety, and connectivity. He details how Qualcomm’s scalable compute and sensor architecture...
Smart Materials and the Rise of Ornithopters: Dr. Onur Bilgen, Rutgers University
In this episode, Dr. Onur Bilgen of Rutgers University discusses his decade‑long research into using smart, piezoelectric materials to simplify and improve small unmanned aircraft, especially bio‑inspired flapping‑wing drones called ornithopters. He explains how these materials can act as both...
894 E/A-18G Growler
The episode covers several aviation news items, including a mid‑air collision of two U.S. Navy EA‑18G Growler jets at an air show, Boeing's under‑whelming China order that sent its stock lower, the FAA's new air‑traffic‑controller hiring goal, United Flight Attendants'...
The “Invisible Army” Behind Amazon’s Robotaxi Revolution
In this episode, Bob Safian talks with Ayesha Evans, CEO of Zoox, about the company’s autonomous robotaxi program and its recent partnership with Uber. Evans explains Zoox’s purpose‑built vehicle design, the milestones they’ve reached (over 2 million driverless miles and a...
Major Rail Strike Brings New York to a Halt
The episode examines the major Long Island Rail Road strike that has crippled commuter travel in New York, highlighting the unions' demand for a higher 2026 wage increase and the MTA's near‑match offer. Reporter Stefanos Chen explains the logistical challenges...