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Cover Image for Drones of the Land, Sea, and Sky
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About Event

Join us for our signature live studio show, Silicon Valley Unplugged, as we explore the rising tension and harmony between human ingenuity and machine autonomy in the world of drones and autonomous systems.​ At this episode, you’ll hear from startup founders building cutting-edge autonomous systems for land, sea, and sky, and meet drone racing champions pushing machines to their limits. Enjoy live demos, a tech showcase, and videos of Ukrainian war drones in action showing how drones are reshaping the battlefield.

Expect thrills, surprises, and raw unscripted moments — where technology meets humanity under the studio lights. Limited studio seating available. RSVP now to be part of the live recording and help shape the conversation on the future of AI.

Segment 1: Drone Startups

Traversa Aero develops advanced autonomous aircraft for middle-mile cargo transport, enabling faster, more efficient logistics over regional distances.

CEO Scott Parker is a robotics entrepreneur and engineer with extensive experience building autonomous systems for land, sea, air, and space. His career includes key technical roles at Zipline, Navier, Blue Origin, and AeroVironment, where he contributed to cutting-edge projects in aerospace, robotics, and autonomous mobility. As a founder of Galahad Robotics, Scott is focused on developing rugged, intelligent ground robotics for defense, public safety, and industrial use, combining mechanical innovation with AI-driven autonomy to enhance safety and human capability in the world’s toughest environments.

Zurons is an AI security robotics company building a fully secured human experience for the real world — through autonomous mobile robots, drones, and humanoids.

CEO ​​Shahbaz Abdullah Magsi is a robotics entrepreneur with expertise in mechanical engineering, UAVs, and AI-powered systems. He is dedicated to developing autonomous technologies that enhance human capability and operational safety.

CTO Aazar Jan is a robotics entrepreneur with deep expertise in mechanical engineering, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. With hands-on experience from design to deployment, he focuses on building practical, field-ready autonomous systems for land, sea, and beyond.

Segment 2: Drone Racing

In this segment, we’ll dive into the Future of Drone Racing, exploring how this fast-growing, tech-infused sport is evolving from underground competitions to a global phenomenon. Joining the discussion are two of the Bay Area’s top drone racing champions, Timofey “Din” Germanov and Colby Curtola, who will share their perspectives on the rise of FPV racing, how technology continues to push the boundaries of speed and skill, and what the future holds for this thrilling sport at the intersection of innovation and human performance.

Tim “Din” Germanov

An experienced FPV pilot who has been competing in national and international drone racing events since 2016. As a sponsored team pilot, Din flies for leading brands such as GensAce Tattu, Team BlackSheep, HDZero, HQProp, Foxeer, and T-Motor. Beyond racing, Din plays a key role in the Bay Area drone community as a Chater Organizer for the MultiGP Drone Racing League, running events with drones ranging from ultra-light 20-gram builds to powerful 10-pound machines. Din also holds a Part 107 FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, authorizing him to operate commercial drones across the U.S. In addition to his racing and organizing efforts, he runs dindrones.com, an online drone shop that actively supports local educational programs and helps sponsor some of the world’s fastest FPV pilots.

Colby Curtola

Co-founder of Space Monkey Films and a pioneer in the Bay Area’s drone racing and commercial drone industry. As the founder of the region’s first drone racing league, he helped grow the sport into a global phenomenon. In 2019, he developed the world’s largest professional racing drone for DR1 and built a fleet of large-scale drones for an internationally televised race. Known as SFPV, Colby has competed in top leagues like DR1, DRL, and DCL, and worked with companies like Matternet on industrial drone applications. He now focuses on professional drone cinematography with InspireFPV, aiming to set the standard for FPV filming in the Bay Area and beyond.

Segment 3: Drones of the Ukrainian War

In this powerful segment, Ukrainian filmmaker Lana Shapoval will share real-world footages of Ukrainian drone operations from the ongoing war with Russia. Through her lens, viewers will witness how robotics, AI, and autonomous systems are reshaping modern warfare on the front lines. Lana will provide insight into how these technologies have evolved from experimental tools to critical assets on the battlefield, highlighting both their tactical impact and the ethical questions they raise in this new era of technology-driven conflict.

Lana Shapoval is a Ukrainian filmmaker, and storyteller, who captures voices and visions through the lens. She is a member of multiple film associations, including Ciné AI, Women in Media, Film Fatales, Babylon 13, Ukraїner, UkrYoutubeProject, and Hero.ua. Her works have been featured at UN Headquarter. She took part in the most important film festivals, such as Cannes, Berlinale, Tribeca, and Sundance.

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About Sparknify

Sparknify is an innovative PR company that helps tech companies build a strong presence in Silicon Valley and expand into global markets through strategic storytelling, immersive campaigns, and high-impact events. By connecting founders, investors, mentors, and industry leaders, Sparknify accelerates innovation and cultivates a thriving ecosystem where bold ideas scale and communities grow. For more info, visit sparknify.com

Location
Midpen Media Center
900 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
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