What if the future of flight didn’t come from aerospace giants—but from a physicist who once broke world speed records on a human-powered bicycle?

In this episode of Industry Ignited, host Dr. Leeanne Aguilar sits down with Damjan Zabovnik, CEO of EV Corporation, to explore how radical efficiency, unconventional thinking, and persistence are reshaping aviation.

Damjan shares his journey from designing the world’s most aerodynamic human-powered vehicles to developing next-generation electric VTOL aircraft and heavy-lift autonomous drones. The conversation dives into circular wing design, hybrid lift systems, edge AI autonomy, and why simplicity often beats complexity in aerospace engineering.

Industry Ignited https://industryignited.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/industryignited/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/industryignited/
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3TX1L5LPr4lt1UtcSpSvlN?si=7037433a58c54162
Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/industry-ignited-podcast/id1824619671

0:00 intro
0:06 The Journey of a Physicist: From Bicycles to Aviation
5:40 Innovative Design: The Circular Wing VTOL Concept
9:51 Learning From Failures: Iterations in Design
13:11 Hybrid Approach: Combining Helicopter Lift with Fixed Wing Efficiency
16:33 Targeting Emergency Response: The Right Market Entry
18:20 The Importance of Autonomy in Remote Operations
20:16 Validation and Credibility: NASA SBIR Award
21:20 Leadership in Complex Industry
23:41 Balancing Passion with Family Life
25:06 Advice for Innovators Taking Risks and Staying Persistent

#PODCAST #AVIATION #AEROSPACE