Hardware Podcasts

Keenan Wyrobek (Co-founder/CTO, Zipline)

Just Gonna Send It · 29 Jul 2026 · 51m · Episode 18

What this episode covers

Keenan Wyrobek, Co-founder and CTO of Zipline, recounts the company's journey from his early work on the ROS robotics platform to launching autonomous drone delivery in Rwanda. He details the rigorous prototyping process, including failed attempts like stunt airbags and the eventual adoption of an aircraft carrier-style launch and recovery system using fishing reels. Wyrobek emphasizes how deep customer engagement in public health logistics clarified engineering requirements, leading to a focus on reliability and weather-hardened testing over complex features.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Zipline, Willow Garage, Sequoia
Also
ROS, Johns Hopkins, Stanford

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