Michigan-based renewable energy company Sesame Solar has introduced a new approach to powering and extending flight duration of uncrewed aerial vehicles for both commercialand military applications.

The company’s mobile off-grid power solutions have already been used by the  U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers and other defense organizations for a wide variety ofapplications, including extending drone flying times.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Sesame Solar Co-founder and CEO Lauren Flanagan explains how the company’s new mobile hydrogen‑powered nanogrids are redefining what’s possible for long‑range drone operations.

The conversation dives into how this closed‑loop system eliminates fuel‑supply logistics, supports autonomous drone missions for up to six months, and enhances operational resilience in contested or off‑grid environments. We also look ahead at how nanogrid technology may shape the future of UAVs by offering scalable, renewable, and self‑sustaining power for next‑generation drone fleets.

In January, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched a new Program Executive Office to speed the procurement and deployment of drone and counter‑drone technologies — aimed at staying ahead of rapidly evolving threats.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Jeffrey Starr, CMO of D‑Fend Solutions, breaks down what this new office means for advancing counter‑UAScapabilities in civilian airspace. We also explore DHS’s newly announced $115 million investment in counter‑drone systems to help secure America250 celebrations and FIFA World Cup 2026 venues.

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Anello Photonics CEO joins us to explain how SiPhog silicon photonic gyroscope technology enables drones to maintain navigation in GPS‑denied and contested environments.

This conversation reveals how photonic innovation is reshaping the future of uncrewed aircraft and autonomous flight.

In December, the Defense Department issued a request forinformation to gauge the defense industry's ability to develop more than 300,000 drones "quickly and inexpensively" by 2027.

Over the next year, the Department plans on spending up to$1 billion to fulfill their need to acquire a large number of the "very best of low-cost American-made drones," according to a December 2025 press release.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense TechnologyPodcast, we learn about a new tool that could help manufacturers optimize the way they design and create new drones. Austin Spiegel, CTO of Sift, is the guest on this episode to explain how their "unified observability platform" to explain how drone manufacturers can leverage their platformto optimize their design, validation, manufacturing and overall engineering processes from prototype to operations.

The U.S. Air Force Sustainment Center’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC) has taken a major step toward modernizing depot operations: securely connecting manufacturing machines, robots, and digital analytics tools across previously isolated enclaves.

This capability was driven by Corsha’s Machine Identity Provider (mIDP), a zero-trust platform that recently received an Authorization-to-Operate (ATO) within the 402nd Commodities Maintenance Group. With mIDP, WR-ALC can authenticate every machine-to-machine connection and enable real-time data sharing for robotic systems and shop-floor automation.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Corsha CEO Anusha Iyer explains how machine identity, continuous authentication, and secure connectivity are accelerating digital sustainment for the U.S. Air Force — and what this means for the future of industrial manufacturing and depot modernization.

In this episode, Packet Digital CEO Terri Zimmerman breaks down the company’s push to expand U.S.-based production of advanced lithium-ion batteries for military unmanned aircraft systems.

She discusses new investments, manufacturing plans at the Badland Batteries facility in North Dakota, and why domestic energy-storage capability is becoming a mission-critical requirement for future UAS operations.

Zimmerman also offers insight into engineering challenges, supply-chain constraints, and the performance demands shaping the next generation of drone power systems.

As aerospace companies race to deliver cutting-edgetechnologies faster and more efficiently, digital innovation is taking center stage. For decades, manufacturers have relied on digital twins for design and simulation. Today, the industry is entering a new era with virtual twins.

According to Dassault Systèmes, a virtual twin is "an immersive scientific digital model that mirrors a real-world product, system, or process in meticulous detail." Virtual twins allow engineers to predict performance, eliminate errors, and optimize designs before production even begins. This breakthrough is helping aerospace and defense manufacturers reduce development cycles, improve quality, and accelerate time-to-market for next-generation technologies.

On the latest episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we sit down with two experts from DassaultSystèmes:

• Mariah Otte, Aerospace and Defense Solution Architect
• Jason Roberson, Aerospace and Defense Industry Value Expert

Together, they explain how virtual twins are transformingaerospace design and manufacturing, and what this means for the future of innovation in the sector. From simulation-driven engineering to predictive performance modeling, this conversation dives deep into the tools and strategies shaping tomorrow’s aerospace solutions.

This episode examines the technical and strategic foundations behind Guam’s new advanced manufacturing hub, developed through ASTRO America in coordination with the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base Program.

Neal Orringer of ASTRO America and Alex Benham of the Guam Additive Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA) provide an engineering-level discussion of the facility’s additive manufacturing capabilities, supply-chain objectives, and workforce development plans. The conversation outlines how the hub will support distributed sustainment, accelerate part production near the point of need, and bolster naval readiness across the Indo-Pacific.

While hydrogen-powered flight promises zero emissions and high efficiency, it also brings some of the toughest engineering challenges: cryogenic storage, high-pressure systems, and the constant risk of leakage. At the heart of solving these challenges are sealing solutions and advanced materials — the hidden heroes that make safe, reliable hydrogen flight possible.

On this sponsored interview episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Margauz Ningre-Corier, Aerospace Sales and Market Development Manager at Omniseal Solutions is the guest expert who will dive into how these technologies are being developed, what hurdles remain, and where the future of hydrogen-powered air mobility is headed.

During the 2025 Association of the United States Army(AUSA) annual meeting and exhibition, Forterra announced several major defense industry vehicle partnerships and introduced four new integrated modules designed to enable autonomy for military vehicles, communications and more.

Headquartered in Clarksburg, Maryland, Forterra develops autonomous mission systems for specific defense applications, including robotics and self-driving vehicles. The company has a new partnership with BAE Systems that will rapidly prototype an autonomous Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). Separately, Forterra has also collaborated with Oshkosh Defense and Raytheon to develop the "DeepFires" autonomous vehicle launcher technology.

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Patrick Acox, Forterra Vice President of Defense Growth, is the guest to explain how their company provides autonomy enabling modules for a wide variety of military applications.