Drones, Design, and Digital Espionage | E2128
This Week in Startups
Jason Calacanis
4.4 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 20 May 2025
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today’s show: Jason and Lon explore the wild edges of tech innovation and regulation — from a student-built acoustic weapon that takes down drones (without harming humans) to the legal gray areas of drone defense over private property. They also unpack the escalating espionage drama between Rippling and Deel, and dive into FireCrawl’s viral move to hire AI agents as employees. Plus, a deep look at how world-class design and systems thinking can set startups apart. Packed with insights, laughs, and cutting-edge ideas across defense tech, AI, and startup strategy.
Timestamps:
(0:00) Episode Teaser(1:39) Intro and Jason and Lon share their love of Andor(6:52) How to spot "World Class Design" and why it matters(10:27) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist(15:50) Athena, Hillstone, and creating the right system(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!(23:21) So... corporate espionage is BAD? is what you're saying?(30:14) Gemini Canvas - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.(32:11) Why Firecrawl is hiring AI agents for staff positions(38:28) Bluesky might not be falling after all?(44:39) How Prandtl Dynamics is shooting drones out of the sky
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Links from episode:
Prandtl: https://prandtldynamics.com/
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
Thank you to our partners:
(10:27) NetSuite - Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning for free at https://www.netsuite.com/twist
(20:00) Northwest Registered Agent - Form your entire business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes. Get more privacy, more options, and more done—visit northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today!
(30:14) Gemini Canvas - It uses AI to help you write, code, and create in one interactive space. Try it at gemini.google.com/canvas.
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I'm going to need some counsel here. |
| 0:03.2 | If somebody flies over my ranch, it's your ranch. |
| 0:06.5 | It's my ranch. |
| 0:07.5 | Can I take them out? |
| 0:08.6 | Because I think Texas law might be different. |
| 0:10.3 | I don't know. |
| 0:10.5 | What have you found out so far? |
| 0:12.3 | Because obviously this is a moving target, so to speak. |
| 0:16.6 | Definitely, definitely. |
| 0:17.5 | And Texas has probably the most different laws is the rest of the United States. |
| 0:24.7 | For the most part, you're not supposed to mess with the internal functions or the flying of unmanned air vehicles |
| 0:31.2 | because you classify UAS or drones the same way you classify aircraft. |
| 0:36.5 | So think of it as shooting down as SESNA. |
| 0:38.7 | That's how the law currently sees it. |
| 0:40.3 | I can't do that. |
| 0:42.8 | Not even for the ranch. |
| 0:44.8 | If it's flying a low over the ranch, if it's doing a fly by. |
| 0:46.8 | This weekend startups is brought to you by NetSuite. |
| 0:51.0 | The number one cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, |
| 0:54.9 | and HR into one platform, giving you one source of truth. Download the CFO's guide to AI machine |
| 1:00.6 | learning for free at netsuite.com slash twist. Northwest Registered Agent, starting your business |
| 1:06.3 | should be simple. With Northwest Registered Agent, you can form your entire business identity in just |
... |
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