In this episode of Drone Wars, Dan Magy is joined by Brett Harrison and Shaun Moore, co-founders of Tern AI, for a deep dive into one of the biggest hidden vulnerabilities in modern life—our overdependence on GPS. Drawing from elite military operations and hard-earned lessons in AI innovation, they lay out why signal-based navigation is no longer reliable—and what it means for warfighters, civilians, and the future of autonomy.
They unpack how GPS failures are already affecting real-world operations, from lost Uber drivers to compromised military missions, and explain why most "solutions" are just different flavors of the same fragile system. If you're working in autonomy, logistics, or national security, this episode is a critical look at the next battlefield: positioning.
Whether you're a founder, policymaker, or defense insider, this one is full of real-world urgency and sharp technical insight.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction and Background of Participants
01:50 – GPS in Modern Tech and Why It’s Failing
04:30 – Brett’s Journey: From Special Ops to Real Estate to Defense Tech
07:30 – Sean’s Start in Facial Recognition and Startup Lessons
13:20 – The Shot That Started Tern AI
17:59 – Why GPS Dependency is a National Risk
18:15 – Building Positioning Without Signal
18:31 – Military and Commercial Applications
20:38 – Future Plans: Scaling Across Vehicles, Terrain, and Use Cases
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About Drone Wars
The Drone Wars Podcast serves the warfighters, builders and innovators who all share a common goal: get the best tech into the hands of those on the frontlines.
Dan Magy, Co-Founder and CEO of Firestorm Labs, explores all things defense and geopolitics with experts in the industry.
