In this episode we speak with Dustin Hicks, Head of Growth at Aurelius Systems, about directed energy, counter UAS, and accelerating defence innovation.

Dustin shares his non traditional path from US Army military intelligence to defence acquisition, and how early exposure to uncrewed systems shaped his career. He reflects on urgent operational needs, rapid fielding, and the difference between risk aversion and responsible risk taking inside government.

The conversation explores why venture backed defence startups are gaining momentum, how fail fast testing shortens development cycles, and why directed energy changes the economics of air defence through low cost per effect and deep magazine capacity.

Dustin also explains what young engineers should focus on today, from software centric systems to system of systems thinking, and why adaptability is now a core skill in defence technology.

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