# #030 - Makers of the fastest production drone on Earth and beyond, with Chris Hsiao of Gossamer, USA

- Show: [The Hardware Entrepreneur](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur)
- Published: 2017-06-14
- Length: 33m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao
- Listen: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thehardwareentrepreneur/030.mp3

## Summary

Chris Hsiao, co-founder of Gossamer, explains how his firm operates as a full-stack engineering consultancy for hardware startups, combining mechanical engineering with software support after being acquired by Tekzenit. He details the development of the Teal drone, the fastest production consumer drone, highlighting the rapid 9-10 month development cycle enabled by 3D printing and lean iteration. Hsiao also discusses the Tenoshi children's laptop, emphasizing the need for durable, drop-resistant design, and shares lessons on business mistakes, including the difficulty of collecting payments and the importance of trusting gut feelings when vetting clients.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=0) Introduction: Chris Hsiao and Gossamer's Business Model
- [3:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=206) Differentiation from Accelerators and Manufacturing Partners
- [6:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=384) Geographical Focus and the Flyover States Strategy
- [8:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=493) Founding Story: From Aerospace to Hardware Startups
- [11:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=717) Teal Drone: Rapid Development and 3D Printing
- [11:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=717) Tenoshi Children's Laptop: Durability and Market Need
- [18:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=1106) Acquisition by Tekzenit and Expanded Capabilities
- [20:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=1241) Business Mistakes: Accounts Receivable and Founder Vetting
- [22:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=1374) Founder Stress, Mental Health, and Running
- [24:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao#t=1470) Advice to Younger Self and Impactful Books

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Gossamer (company)
- Tekzenit (company)
- Teal Drone (product)
- Tenoshi (product)
- NEA (company)
- Boeing 787 (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [EP 3: AI Smart Glasses | 16 Weeks to CES, 10 Months to Acquisition | Build 2 Create](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/build-2-create-hardware-founder-stories/2026-02-10-ep-3-ai-smart-glasses-16-weeks-to-ces-10-months-to-acquisition-build-2-create) (Build 2 Create: Hardware Founder Stories)
- [184: Not Likely, Possible, or Safe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-01-18-184-not-likely-possible-or-safe) (Embedded.fm)
- [Rapid Hardware Iteration with Luka Mustafa](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [An Interview with Chris Anderson - Deambulatory Daedal Drones](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-23-an-interview-with-chris-anderson-deambulatory-daedal-drones) (The Amp Hour)
- [S6E39 Sam Holland | Informal Engineering Collective, the Hardware Handbook, & Donut Hole-Der](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-09-26-s6e39-sam-holland-informal-engineering-collective-the-hardware-handbook-donut-ho) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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