Andy Lowery is a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander who served as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer and Nuclear Propulsion Officer, including active duty aboard the USS John C. Stennis. Over more than 30 years, Lowery held demanding roles spanning domestic and global assignments before retiring and continuing in the reserves until 2015. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is recognized as a thought leader in applying technology across industry.​ Andy transitioned to corporate leadership and entrepreneurship after his military career. He is currently CEO of Epirus, a defense tech company pioneering portable directed energy systems to counter modern threats like militarized drones. Joining Epirus in 2021, Lowery quickly rose through the ranks—serving as Chief Product Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and CEO since December 2023.​ Previously, Lowery co-founded and served as CEO of RealWear, leading the company to global prominence in industrial head-up display wearable systems for frontline workers from 2016 to 2020. He also co-founded DAQRI (2014–2016), a pioneer in mixed reality wearables for enterprise use. Lowery held senior engineering and management positions at Raytheon, MACOM, Tyco, and RPM Technology, notably working on electronic warfare systems and major defense projects such as the Navy’s Next Generation Jammer.​ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join Shawn Ryan Show Links SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk #vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow Andy Lowery Links: LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andylowery Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: SpotOn GPS Fence — trusted by Shawn Ryan for his dog Moose. The most reliable GPS dog fence: 100% secure from backyard to backcountry with virtual boundaries you control from your phone. No wires, no digging. Sets up in minutes, any size, any shape, anywhere. Learn more: https://spotonfence.com/srs Go to https://shopbeam.com/SRS and use code SRS to get up to 50% off Beam Dream Powder, the sleep formula designed to help you fall asleep fast and wake up clear. Get 20% off Rho Nutrition Liposomal NAD+ for clean, sustained energy and sharper focus—visit https://rhonutrition.com/discount/SRS and use code SRS for your discount. 00:00 Welcome and Backstory 02:05 Andy Lowry Introduction 03:28 Integral Noetic Sciences 04:56 Gifts and Drone Souvenir 06:11 Navy Origins and Microwaves 13:50 Joining Epirus and Leonidas Gen 2 18:51 Epirus Founded and Early Demos 23:46 Leonidas Prototype and Scaling 24:53 Layered Defense and Design Led 35:19 Ukraine Swarms and Leakers 39:26 Force Field Concept 47:49 Layered Defense Simulation 57:32 Detection and Engagement 01:06:51 Where It Gets Deployed 01:22:30 Sensors And Autonomy 01:32:22 Safety And FAA Interest 01:41:35 Drone Threat And Bureaucracy 01:54:49 Wrap Up And Call To Action