Business of Tech: How cheap drones became the defining weapon of modern conflict

Andrew Shelley. (Image: Supplied/Jacques Steenkamp)

Thu, 11 Dec 2025

Drones have gone from hobbyist toys to decisive tools of war and essential infrastructure for industry. Few people have had a better vantage point on that shift than FenixUAS founder Dr Andrew Shelley. In the latest episode of The Business of Tech podcast, the economist and aviation specialist explains how a decade of incremental innovation has transformed uncrewed aircraft into platforms that can reshape modern warfare, agritech and even search and rescue.From DIY quadcopters to smart weaponsNew Zealand’s first drone rules arrived 1...

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