Hardware Podcasts

Riley Knox: Leviathan Air, Flying Cargo Ships, and Altering Global Trade | Hard Tech Podcast #21

Hard Tech Podcast · 21 Jul 2024 · 2h 31m

What this episode covers

Riley Knox, CEO and co-founder of Leviathan Air, explains the design and business case for autonomous flying cargo ships that utilize ground effect to bridge the gap between slow ocean freight and expensive air freight. He details how modern advancements in hybrid-electric propulsion, autonomous flight controls, and composite materials make the concept viable today, contrasting it with the Soviet-era Caspian Sea Monster. Knox outlines a strategy to build and operate these vehicles to serve high-value e-commerce and defense logistics, targeting a first flight within six to seven years.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Leviathan Air, Radii up, Sail Drone, DARPA, Boeing, Tesla, GM, Candela, Navia, Valo, Aurora
Products
Caspian Sea Monster, Starlink, Pelican, Liberty Lifter

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