Jeff Parisse has been in the unmanned aircraft space for many years. His specialties include UAV use for mapping, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, you name it. He has recently been specializing in Cybersecurity with a deep understanding of drone technology and how the data they capture may be used for malice in the wrong hands.

Recently in the news, Chinese made drones have been put in the spotlight for allegedly sharing customer’s private data with the Chinese government. In addition, consumer drone manufacturer DJI (who has 80% of the drone market share in the USA) has just released a “Government Edition” of their aircraft, which does not send any data back to DJI or any third parties. This begs the question: “What kind of information is being shared?” 

I am deeply fascinated by this subject, as it has so many implications that can affect practically anyone who relies on drones for a service or utility. In this interview, Jeff and I discuss exactly what kind of data these drones may be collecting, how criminals are utilizing drones to hack into vulnerable networks, and how concerned the average drone pilot should be regarding cybersecurity. This is a fascinating topic that continues to change and evolve each and every day.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Erick Royer of Stepcraft CNC Systems. Stepcraft is the manufacturer of high end, easy to use CNC machines that allow users to fabricate parts in their very own home. Join in as we discuss how he used Kickstarter to launch his first product, the journey he went through to scale the business, and the endless possibilities of making your very own parts at home with these machines.

We are living through an incredible time of DIY, inventorship and entrepreneurship. As Erick explains, so many of his customers have purchased a small CNC machine from him, started a side hustle- which has now evolved into a full time business. This is a really great listen for anyone looking to make things at home. Hope you enjoy!