Drone As The Future

Drone Entrepreneurship and Ingenuity w/ Mike Yoder of Drone Deer Recovery, Nuway Ag, Drone On | Episode 14

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 06:34:00 -0700

Mike Yoder joins us on the podcast to discuss his journey from Drone Deer Recovery to NuWay Ag to his drone on podcast and beyond! We discuss how he got into the industry in the first place and how it led him to starting his own businesses, growing youtube audiences, and pushing the industry. We discuss the very breaking news of his FAA license suspension.

Disclaimer: The opinions, claims, and statements made by guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the podcast, Zenatech, its employees, or its affiliates.

websites:
Drone Deer Recovery
https://www.dronedeerrecovery.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@dronedeerrecovery
NuWay Ag
https://nuwayag.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@nuWayAg
Drone On Show Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/@TheDroneOnShow

droneasaservice.com
zenadrone.com

00:00 - Skiing behind a drone and setting the tone
01:36 - From Amish upbringing to choosing a different path
03:03 - Tree work, ownership, and learning entrepreneurship
05:44 - Back injury and the Workmen’s Comp audit that changed everything
06:43 - Discovering thermal drones for deer recovery
08:26 - Social media opens the door to spray drones
11:10 - Learning thermal workflows the hard way
12:25 - Buying the DJI Dual and then the Matrice 30T
14:20 - First paid deer recoveries and early nerves
16:03 - Using YouTube on purpose to document the business
17:41 - Making fifty thousand dollars in ten weeks
18:40 - Bringing in business partner Kevin
20:50 - Millions of views and a fast-growing audience
22:38 - FAA scrutiny and the six-month suspension
24:08 - Why the rules around drone work are still unclear
28:57 - How Mike plans to keep operating during the pause
30:06 - Teaching others what the regulations actually allow
31:40 - Why FAA decision-making feels painfully slow
32:59 - What comes next for drones and the company
34:23 - The jet ski and big-wave rescue experiment
36:24 - Stories from other drone entrepreneurs
38:56 - Involving family while building multiple businesses
40:35 - What Mike wants to see improved in spray and thermal tech
43:18 - Drone delivery and a future of on-demand transport
45:05 - Advice for growing a drone YouTube channel
48:47 - Why he keeps pushing boundaries and documenting the consequences

Never Stop Learning w/ Bob Dempsey of Old Farts With Drones | Episode 13

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:30:00 -0700

Bob Dempsey of Old Farts with Drones joins us on the podcast to discuss his journey into the world of drones. From humble beginnings to leading a facebook of more than 28,000 drone pilots Bob gives us a glimpse into his creative life and what he thinks the future of drones looks like for himself and the world abound!

Chapters

00:00 Crashing is part of flying

01:07 From first drone to flying every day

03:20 How a solar business project led to drones

04:20 The adrenaline rush of a first flight

04:49 Finding scenic places to fly around Las Vegas

05:41 Exploring remote drone-flying spots near Vegas

07:31 The rude comment that inspired “Old Farts with Drones”

08:29 From a handful of members to a global community

09:50 How the group brings purpose, friendship, and motivation

11:08 Keeping the community welcoming

12:24 Staying curious through design and new technology

13:29 How graphic design skills help with drone footage

14:28 A long history of video editing

16:01 How Bob ended up in Las Vegas

18:22 Drone crash stories and unexpected recoveries

20:12 The drone that returned on its own in Tortola

21:50 Flying near Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia

22:57 Bob’s favorite drone flight: Athens

24:56 Flying over the Parthenon

26:51 Why Las Vegas is a great place for drone meetups

27:58 The growing Vegas drone meetup

29:06 A future of more automated drone flights

30:01 Drone stabilization, wind, and battery limits

31:25 How drones can help first responders and lost hikers

33:24 The future of immersive drone flying

34:33 Plans for future drone cruises

36:28 Bob’s advice: keep learning at any age

38:29 Why Bob believes drones are the future

websites:
https://oldfartswithdrones.com//
https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldfartswithdrones
https://www.youtube.com/@OldFartswithDrones

Drones in the Wild West w/ Drone Diva Desi | Episode 12

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 05:30:00 -0700

Mark Masterton speaks with Desiree Ekstein, also known as Drone Diva Desi, about how she got into drones, how her background in events and logistics shaped her safety-first approach, and how she now uses drones for teaching, history preservation, and off-grid desert work. Desi also shares what it was like becoming one of the early women to earn a Part 107 certificate and why she sees drones as a serious career path, not toys.In this episode, Desi explains how her work spans flying, teaching, public speaking, writing, and mentoring, with a strong focus on opening doors for women and young people. They also dig into her Arizona desert adventures, her book Desert Escape, Off Road, Off Grid, and In the Air, and her hopes for the future of drone use in medical delivery and beyond.

Links:
https://onthegovideo.biz/
https://www.youtube.com/@DroneDivaDesi
https://a.co/d/05NuGm05

Chapters
00:00 Episode preview
01:06 Partner message
01:17 Meet Drone Diva Desi
01:50 How Desiree found drones
03:20 Early commercial drone flying and safety
06:43 Being a woman in the drone industry
08:05 Entrepreneurship, events, and risk management
09:52 Life on the road and Desert Escape
13:37 Drones as serious career tools
15:17 Girls Take Flight and STEM education
18:05 Sharing knowledge through teaching and writing
20:55 Discovering and mapping desert history
22:29 Digital preservation with Gaussian splats
26:30 The future of drone technology
27:49 Advice for aspiring women in aviation
30:12 Women and Drones Hall of Fame
32:59 What’s next for Drone Diva Desi
36:12 Closing remarks

"Dull, Dirty or Dangerous? Use Drones!" (Recorded February 02,2026) w/ Linda Montgomery I Episode 11

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:30:00 -0700

NOTE: This episode was recorded Feb. 02 of 2026 for the most up to date figures and numbers please check out the Zenatech youtube channel!

We sit down with Linda Montgomery to explore the rapid growth and strategic vision of Zenatech a leading drone and AI company. Topics include acquisition strategies, regulatory advancements, product innovations, and future opportunities in defense and commercial markets.
keywords
Drone Technology, AI, Acquisition Strategy, Defense Market, Regulatory Compliance, Future of Drones, Zenatech, Drone as a Service, NDAA Compliance, Quantum Computing

Topics:
Zenatech's rapid growth and acquisition strategy
Regulatory landscape and NDAA compliance
Product portfolio including Zenadrone 1000 and IQ series
Future applications in defense, power, and agriculture
Impact of US government contracts and international expansion

Chapters
00:00
Introduction to Linda and ZenaTech
06:23
Origin of Drone as a Service
10:21
Acquisition Strategy and Market Expansion
11:14
Post-IPO Changes and Investor Interest
14:30
Regulatory Landscape and Future Opportunities
19:32
Growth and Company Evolution
26:39
AI Integration in Drone Technology
29:29
Future Prospects and Investment Opportunities
32:40
Call from the future
35:55
Outro
Resources
DroneAsAService.com
Zenadrone.com
Zenatech.com

Sky to Sea: How Alexander Forrest combined Drones and Wildlife Photography for the shot of a lifetime | Episode 10

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 05:30:00 -0700

This episode follows wildlife photographer and expedition filmmaker Alexander Forrest, whose drone footage of a humpback whale birth drew major attention and turned into a broader conversation about conservation, ethics, and the power of aerial perspective. He and host Mark Masterton trace Alex’s path from photographing cars as a teenager to filming whales around Australia, with a focus on consistency, preparation, and reading animal behavior.We discuss how the viral whale birth was captured, what happened in the moments before and after, and why drones are becoming such a valuable tool for wildlife documentation without disturbing the animals.

Key topics

Chapters

00:00 - Luck, preparation, and the birth footage everyone is talking about
00:57 - Intro to Alex Forrest and the Drone as a Future conversation
02:03 - Getting into drones through a birthday gift and a trip through Western Australia
03:07 - Growing up in Denmark, Western Australia, and starting photography with a phone
04:13 - Learning manual settings and building skills at car events
05:52 - Why Alex learned to shoot differently and look for light, angles, and detail
06:46 - The first drone flights, early crashes, and learning by doing
08:31 - Why wildlife became the main focus and why video works so well for whales
10:22 - Farm life, Anvil Beach, and the first aerial images that got local attention
12:08 - Starting a photography business at 15 and getting formal bookings
13:04 - The day the humpback whale birth happened while filming the Humpback Highway
14:01 - Why consistency matters and the quote about preparation meeting opportunity
14:53 - What makes the footage historic and why drones captured a rare perspective
16:21 - Misreading the whale’s behavior before realizing she was in labor
18:12 - Seeing the calf emerge and reporting the event to researchers
20:16 - How the story spread through social media, TV, radio, and news outlets
21:41 - Managing a viral drone video with domestic and international rollout
24:52 - Wildlife ethics, research, and why distance matters
26:53 - How the footage may help scientists study maternal behavior in humpbacks
28:03 - Looking for other unique whale individuals and patterns
29:18 - What excites Alex about drone technology: quieter aircraft, better batteries, and better zoom
31:52 - Bucket-list wildlife goals, including Antarctica and big cetaceans
34:32 - Advice for young photographers: be consistent, follow passion, and keep practicing
36:29 - Studying film on the Gold Coast and aiming for expedition storytelling
38:45 - The documentaries and nature storytellers that shaped his path
40:05 - Closing thoughts on conservation and what comes next

Drones in Defense: The Future Unveiled at Xponential 2026 w/ Dustyn Brewer, Doug Rodson, and Alvin Brunner | Episode 9

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:30:00 -0700

A very special episode recorded on the expo floor at at Xponential 2026 with Dustyn Brewer of Zephyr Drone Simulator, Doug Rodzon of Skyway Range, and Alvin Brummer from the FAA.This episode of the Drone is the Future podcast explores the evolving role of drones in military and civilian applications, highlighting innovations in technology, regulatory challenges, and the integration of AI and autonomous systems. The conversation features insights from industry experts on the future of drone operations, their impact on defense, and real-world success stories in training and application.

Chapters

00:00 The Future of Drones in Defense
06:58 Innovations in Drone Technology
14:02 Regulatory Challenges and Developments
22:07 AI and Autonomous Systems in Drones
29:01 Real-World Applications and Success Stories

#drones #military #AI #autonomoussystems #regulations #technology #defense #innovation #training #agriculture

"Bigger, Better, Faster, Farther" Talking training, community and the future of drones w/ Ian Wills of Costal Drone | Episode 8

Zenatech, Inc. — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:30:00 -0700

In this episode, we explore the fascinating journey of Ian Wills discussing the evolution of drone technology, regulations, and misconceptions. Learn how industry and regulation interact, and get insights into the future of drones from an experienced professional. In this episode, we explore the future of drone technology, regulations, and the evolving drone community through an insightful interview with industry expert Ian. Discover how regulations are shaping the industry, innovative applications, and the personal stories behind drone advancements.

Chapters