Mission-ready edge computing isn't the same as "traditional" edge.

In this episode of the Edge Tech Podcast, host David Kosloski sits down with Tommy Scherer (Principal Architect) and Mark Perry (Director of Public Sector Growth) at Spectro Cloud to break down what makes tactical edge different—running mission apps in contested, disconnected environments with security and compliance built in from day zero.

We cover:

• What "tactical edge" really means (hint: secure by default)

• Zero Trust, encryption, and operating as if the network is already compromised

• Why mission workloads (ISR, secure messaging, computer vision) need edge platforms that can deploy fast and evolve continuously

• How ATO and continuous ATO help accelerate fielding new capability

• Why the future is about portable compute + hardened stacks that look and operate like the data center

If you're building for defense, federal, or regulated environments, this one's for you.

How do you stream reliable, real-time video when the network is congested, unstable, or barely there? In this episode of the Edge Tech Podcast, David Kosloski sits down with Clive Sawkins (COO) and Dale Hall (Head of Product Engineering) from Digital Barriers to answer that exact question.

We cover the mechanics of adaptive video codecs and explore how moving away from dedicated hardware is redefining video surveillance and situational awareness. From congested festivals like Glastonbury to remote border security, we discuss how to maintain mission-critical connectivity anywhere.

🚀 Key Topics Covered:

The Bandwidth Bottleneck: Why traditional cellular video fails when you need it most.
Intelligent Compression: How Digital Barriers' codec mimics human perception to save data.
The Invisible Edge: Why the best edge ai technology works without you noticing it.
Beyond Security: Using video as a data sensor for agriculture, telemedicine, and autonomous systems.


⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 - Start
01:02 - Podcast Intro: Welcome & Guest Introductions
01:21 - Video Over Cellular: The struggle with LTE and 5G
01:34 - Bandwidth Challenges: Uplink limits & constraints
03:03 - Digital Barriers Tech: Adaptive video compression
04:25 - AI vs Machine Learning: Intelligent video delivery
05:24 - What Is the Edge? Defining edge computing today
06:28 - Border Security Use Case: Surveillance as infrastructure
07:10 - Advanced Camera Support: Thermal, Night Vision, PTZ
07:46 - Rapid Deployments: Mobile & Emergency setups
08:12 - Festival Case Study: Reliable video in crowds
08:53 - Why Phones Fail: Consumer vs. Mission Critical
09:46 - Network Redundancy: Cellular + Satellite
11:07 - Video as a Sensor: AI Analytics
12:12 - Software-Only Model: Deployment flexibility
13:39 - Hardware Independence: Freedom at the edge
14:02 - Video as Data: Driving AI insights
15:08 - Event-Based Streaming: Triggered video
15:36 - Sensors & Power Efficiency: Low-power design
17:03 - Industry Applications: Security & Utilities
18:23 - Unexpected Use Cases: Innovation
19:02 - Extreme Environments: Harsh conditions
20:08 - Invisible Edge Tech: When it just works
21:27 - Closing Thoughts

Kubernetes at the edge is no longer a future trend, it's happening now, and at a massive scale. In this episode of the Edge Tech Podcast, host David Kosloski is joined by Ant Newman and Pedro Oliveira from Spectro Cloud to explore how edge computing is transforming operations across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, QSR, and defense. They unpack: - Why Kubernetes is ideal for edge environments - The challenges of deploying and scaling AI at the edge - What 50% edge Kubernetes adoption tells us about industry shifts - Real-world use cases, from drones and submarines to 100K+ retail stores. - Hardware considerations, air-gapped environments, and connectivity hurdles - Whether you're an architect, operator, or innovator, this episode helps you understand the operational realities of modern edge infrastructure and how to prepare for them.

⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 - Intro & Guest Welcome
00:28 - What is Kubernetes in simple terms?
01:46 - Why microservices and containers matter
03:14 - Kubernetes: Deploying anywhere—from cloud to car trunk
04:08 - Why Kubernetes is dominating open source
05:22 - The edge opportunity: Why Kubernetes fits
07:05 - Benefits of Kubernetes at the edge: Resilience & Scale
08:18 - How hardware choices impact edge Kubernetes
10:13 - ARM vs. x86: The new challenge for ops
11:00 - Key insights from the "State of Production Kubernetes"
12:12 - AI at the edge: Why location matters
13:03 - Industries adopting edge: Retail, healthcare, defense & more
15:21 - The rise of tactical edge compute
16:10 - Kubernetes is driving AI deployment at scale
16:32 - Why edge is harder than cloud—at massive scale
18:16 - Real-world challenges: Security, scale, and cost
20:00 - Connectivity & bandwidth limitations
22:00 - Air gapped clusters & autonomous operations
23:00 - Automating edge operations: YAML, upgrades, and beyond
24:10 - Final thoughts: Scaling without breaking ops