# Roger Pecina: Drones as First Responders, Flying Cars, Minority Report, DJI | Hard Tech Podcast #12

- Show: [Hard Tech Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast)
- Published: 2023-09-03
- Length: 55m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec
- Listen: https://rss.com/podcasts/hardtechpodcast/1097146

## Summary

Roger Pecina, CEO of Eve Vehicles Corporation, discusses the development of the QROW drone for Drones as First Responders (DFR) networks and the future landscape of eVTOL flying cars. He explains how DJI pioneered the consumer drone market with the Phantom 1 and how Eve’s strategy involves deploying autonomous drone nests to address public safety labor shortages. Pecina also explores the integration of AI for predictive policing, drawing parallels to Minority Report, and the regulatory challenges of shared airspace.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=3) Introduction: Roger Pecina and Eve Vehicles
- [0:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=51) Drones as First Responders and the Chula Vista Pilot
- [3:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=191) DJI's Dominance and the Phantom 1 Launch
- [8:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=533) The Future of eVTOL Flying Cars and Air Traffic
- [16:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=987) Eve Vehicles' QROW Drone and Crow Nest Infrastructure
- [32:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=1926) Public Safety Labor Shortages and Automation
- [40:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=2414) AI, Predictive Policing, and Privacy Concerns
- [49:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-09-03-roger-pecina-drones-as-first-responders-flying-cars-minority-report-dji-hard-tec#t=2968) Shared Airspace and Digital Highways

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Eve Vehicles Corporation (company)
- QROW (product)
- DJI (company)
- Phantom 1 (product)
- Chula Vista Police Department (company)
- Nvidia Jetson Orin (chip)
- Loretta IO (company)
- Zipline (company)
- Lift Aircraft (company)
- ALFA Aeronautics (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#020: The Hidden Architecture of Autonomy: How Skydio Drones Think, See, and Connect](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2026-01-29-020-the-hidden-architecture-of-autonomy-how-skydio-drones-think-see-and-connect) (Coredump Sessions)
- [18-Year-Old Founder: Why America Needs Its Own Drone Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-07-31-18-year-old-founder-why-america-needs-its-own-drone-industry) (OnTrack)
- [Skydio CEO Adam Bry explores how autonomy and AI are reshaping drones; what happened after a Waymo killed a cat; revisiting the history of civilian drones](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/go-no-go/2025-11-11-skydio-ceo-adam-bry-explores-how-autonomy-and-ai-are-reshaping-drones-what-happe) (Go/No-Go)
- [The Future of AI-Powered Public Safety | Jabil's Yanshi Tao | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2026-09-22-the-future-of-ai-powered-public-safety-jabils-yanshi-tao-internet-of-things-podc) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [52: Maximize the Sonic Boom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-05-21-52-maximize-the-sonic-boom) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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