Defense One's Sam Skove on the drone industry's vital signs

Next to satellite imagery, drones have been the major technological focal point for the war in Ukraine and U.S. Army leaders have been looking to learn quickly from how the systems are being used there.

Sam Skove, who covers the Army and Marine Corps for our partner publication Defense One, has seen much of this action first-hand from visits to bases in the U.S. where the drones are tested and in Eastern Europe where they are fielded.

In this episode, Sam takes our Ross Wilkers through his reporting on how the Army's desire to bring more small drones into its fold does not necessarily match up with the U.S.' industrial capacity to make them in large quantities.

The reasons for that disconnect are myriad as Sam explains, as are some of the solutions he has heard from informed observers on how to bridge that gap.

Wartime need for drones would outstrip US production. There’s a way to fix that

Army puts new unit loaded with cutting-edge tech to the test

US shouldn't learn the wrong lessons about Ukraine’s drones, expert says

What Estonian drone companies are learning from Ukraine

Across the Army, units lean into drone experimentation

Army brass opposes drone branch

FPVs, tethered drones could become formal Army programs in 2025