Send us a text

In this episode, Eugene Tan from RSIS Singapore and Chris explore how advances in aviation technology are transforming our airspace. With cargo drones and urban air taxis taking to the skies, how will an increasing number of autonomous or remotely piloted aircraft safely share the airspace with traditional aviation? What new security, privacy, and safety risks do such air mobility systems bring? And how will regulatory and governance regimes adapt to these challenges?

Show Notes:

• https://www.caas.gov.sg/who-we-are/newsroom/Detail/asia-pacific-region-adopts-reference-materials-for-the-regulation-of-air-taxis-and-drones
• https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-low-altitude-economy-air-taxi-drones-policy-regulations-5419456
• https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/content/001757082.pdf
• https://www.euronews.com/2025/11/05/latest-drone-sightings-force-flight-cancellations-at-belgiums-main-airport

This episode is part of a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) 25K04983 project “Global Governance of Civil Aviation in the Indo-Pacific” 2025-2027

Send us a text

Political anthropologist Eduardo Albrecht joins us to explore how artificial intelligence is quietly transforming the way governments think, decide, and rule. From the rise of “political machines” to the idea of a new Third House of democracy, we unpack what happens when citizens become data—and how power itself is being rewritten in the age of automation.

Links:

• https://eduardoalbrecht.com/
• Political Automation: An Introduction to AI in Government and Its Impact on Citizens

In this episode, Chris Lamont sits down with Oscar Avatare and Akshay Chalana, co-founders of Saphira AI, for an in-depth exploration of AI robotics transitioning from controlled laboratory environments into complex, real-world applications. Drawing on their experience building hardware controls and virtualization systems for companies including Tesla and Amazon, as well as their work on Hyperloop technology—where they worked on challenges like making propulsion, braking, and electronics function in vacuum chambers—Oscar and Akshay examine the critical challenges of establishing robust safety frameworks and industry standards for autonomous systems operating in unpredictable settings. The conversation also delves into how geopolitical tensions and international competition are reshaping the global robotics landscape, influencing both technological development priorities and regulatory approaches across different regions.

Links:

• https://blog.saphira.ai/mobile-robot-safety-standards-understanding-iso-3691-4-(driverless-industrial-trucks)-and-r15-08-(industrial-mobile-robots)-implementation/#1-a-shifting-landscape-in-safety-standards
• https://www.reuters.com/sports/robots-race-play-football-crash-collapse-chinas-robot-olympics-2025-08-15/

Send us a text