The Future of Aerospace Belongs to Small, Agile Innovators (If They Can Survive) w/ Hamed Khalkhali

In aviation, the most transformative breakthroughs often take place far above the commercial flight lanes, and far below the public radar. But in today’s defense and aerospace economy, those breakthroughs are harder than ever for small companies to bring to life. Government budgets overwhelmingly favor the largest primes. Smaller, more agile innovators are forced to bankroll their own R&D while competing against firms with deeper pockets, stronger political clout, and guaranteed contracts. Venture-style “build-to-flip” incentives tempt some to chase quick exits over long-term quality. Even when technology works, commercial adoption can stall as customers demand bespoke designs for each use case. Swift Engineering’s record-breaking high-altitude glider is one such breakthrough fighting its way through that gauntlet. Designed to fly at 67,000 feet for days at a time, this ultra-light, solar-powered aircraft can do what satellites can’t: hold a fixed position, deliver real-time intelligence, and land on a runway. At just 1% of the cost. For Hamed Khalkhali, Swift’s president, the innovation story isn’t just about engineering excellence. It’s about surviving and thriving in a system that often seems built for incumbents. In this conversation, he unpacks the strategic, funding, and talent challenges that determine which companies survive in the next wave of aerospace innovation. You’ll also learn: High-altitude, solar UAV that outperforms satellites at 1% of the cost. Why system integration is aerospace’s next frontier. The funding squeeze forcing small firms to self-finance R&D. The “moral accuracy” gap shaping U.S. drone strategy. How fresh grads can drive bigger breakthroughs than veterans. Keeping start-up creativity alive in bigger organizations. Guest Bio Hamed Khalkhali is the President of Swift Engineering and an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona, with more than 25 years of experience spanning technical innovation, leadership, and cross-disciplinary communication. He brings over a decade of expertise in system-level design for Fly-by-Wire flight control systems with the highest safety standards (FDAL-A), along with deep knowledge of ARP-4752, DO-160, and DO-178 certification processes. Throughout his career, Hamed has led high-performance engineering organizations, managing teams across mechanical, electrical, verification and validation, manufacturing, AI, machine learning, quality control, supply chain, and R&D. He is known for integrating manufacturing engineering into the earliest stages of design, optimizing products through rigorous processes such as Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen, and design-for-manufacturability. His leadership approach blends technical precision with a focus on systems integration, efficiency, and innovation in both aerospace and defense. Connect with Hamed on LinkedIn . About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association. Check out this episode on our website , Apple Podcasts , or Spotify , and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!