In this episode of Founder Talk, I sit down with Ryan Walsh, a drone industry veteran operating at the intersection of advanced technology, regulation, and global competition. We dive into what it really takes to build a tech company in heavily regulated industries, how drone innovation fell behind in the U.S., and what the growing conversation around UAPs reveals about advanced aerospace technology and how little the public actually understands about it.

Ryan shares firsthand perspective from operating across global markets, including why Asia moved faster in drone adoption, how regulation shapes innovation more than founders expect, and what it really means to build hardware businesses where timelines and risk look very different from software. We also talk about the long, uncomfortable middle of entrepreneurship: sunk costs, delayed momentum, and the discipline required to keep going when results aren’t immediate.

We also explore the growing conversation around UAPs and what it reveals about how new technologies are misunderstood long before they’re accepted. Ryan offers a grounded take on why many UAP sightings are likely tied to advanced aerospace and drone technology, and what that disconnect teaches founders about perception, narrative, and trust.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why regulation and policy often matter more than the technology itself

✅ How founders decide when to persist versus walk away

✅ What drones, robotics, and AI signal about the future of logistics

✅ Why UAP discussions highlight how society misunderstands new tech

✅ How patience, discipline, and mission compound over time

If you’re building anything complex, regulated, or capital-intensive, this episode offers an honest look at the realities most founders never hear about.

Connect with Ryan Walsh

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan--walsh/

Guest Website: https://www.valqari.com/

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back

00:28 Experiences in Hong Kong

02:59 Drone Technology and Logistics

06:20 AI and Robotics Discussion

10:26 Military and Drone Warfare

14:41 Future of Drones and Robotics

21:41 Acquisition of Sky Drop

28:18 Ground vs. Air Transportation

30:45 UAPs and Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

32:20 Discussing Nick's Clip and Military Technology

33:17 Government Cover-Ups and Alien Technology

34:01 Debating the Existence of Aliens

35:44 Implications of Advanced Technology

40:15 Starting and Running a Business

45:56 Philosophy and Life's Purpose

49:52 Challenges and Rewards of Entrepreneurship

59:05 Future Plans for Valqari