Drone Warfare: The New Rules of Combat Are Here

War has always been shaped by technology—from steel and gunpowder to GPS and nuclear weapons. But the decisive technologies of tomorrow aren’t coming—they’re already here.

In this episode, recorded live at our third annual American Dynamism Summit, a16z’s Senior National Security Advisor Matt Cronin sits down with Ryan Tseng (cofounder & CEO, Shield AI) and Adam Bry (cofounder & CEO, Skydio) to discuss the rise of autonomous drones, AI-driven warfare, and the escalating great power competition with China. They cover:

Why drones are reshaping the battlefield in Ukraine, Israel, and beyond
The asymmetry of $1,000 drones taking out $10M tanks
Why U.S. drone production lags China—and how to catch up
The ethical and tactical implications of autonomy in combat
What it will take to reindustrialize America and maintain deterrence

If the future of warfare is software-defined, who writes that software—and who deploys it first—matters more than ever.

Timecodes:
00:00: Introduction
00:45: Founders' Journey into Drone Technology
05:53: The Evolution and Impact of Drones in Warfare
09:30: Challenges and Opportunities in Drone Manufacturing
17:10: Policy Recommendations for Enhancing Military Capabilities
21:40: Swarm Technologies and AI Superiority
26:14: Challenges in Battlefield Operations
32:49: The Role of Autonomy in Modern Warfare
40:01: Future Scenarios of AI and Tech Dominance
41:41: Advice for Aspiring Defense Tech Founders

Resources:
Find Adam on X: https://x.com/adampbry
Find Ryan on LinkedIn:   / ryantseng  
Find Matt on LinkedIn:   / matt-cronin-8b88811  

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