FreightWaves Today | November 5

Join FreightWaves Today live from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at UP.Summit, where the innovators, founders, government leaders and defense industry executives shaping the future of aviation, aerospace and transportation are coming together.

In this special episode, we explore how emerging technologies are transforming the way people and freight move — from autonomous aircraft and next-generation military aviation to electric cargo planes and the future of airfreight logistics.

Our conversations include:

• Merlin: Founder Matt George discusses building an autonomous pilot, how AI-powered flight systems could improve aviation safety, and the potential to bring autonomy to military and commercial cargo aircraft. We also explore Merlin's work with the U.S. Air Force and its partnership with Textron.

• Sorian Aerospace: We look at the Sandman, an autonomous supersonic training aircraft designed to help prepare military pilots for the next generation of aerial warfare, including the growing role of unmanned aircraft and collaborative combat systems.

  REGENT / Sea glider technology: Discover how electric, wing-in-ground-effect vehicles could create a new category of coastal transportation, connecting communities, ports and offshore operations with speed and efficiency.

  BETA Technologies: Head of Policy Chip Palamni explains the evolution of electric aviation, the economics of electric cargo aircraft, reduced maintenance costs and the opportunity to rethink regional airfreight networks. We also discuss BETA's aircraft, medical cargo deliveries and potential hub-bypass routes.

  Defense, aviation and aerospace leadership: Conversations explore America's defense innovation ecosystem, the importance of domestic manufacturing, emerging drone threats and the supply chains needed to maintain U.S. technological leadership.

  From drone delivery and autonomous flight to military readiness, domestic manufacturing and the aerospace supply chain, this episode examines the technologies and companies that could reshape aviation and freight transportation.

  The future of freight isn't limited to highways, railroads and ocean shipping. A new era of aviation innovation is taking shape — and we're on the ground at UP.Summit to explore what's coming next.

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