Issue #72
Drone Supply Chains, Musk's Gas Turbines, and Caterpillar's AI Playbook
Monday, August 31, 2026
Today covers U.S. efforts to restrict drone and robot supply chains against China's manufacturing scale, the pollution concerns tied to Elon Musk's expansion of gas turbines, and how Caterpillar is applying its mining automation experience to AI deployment.
1 of 3 · TechCrunch AI
The U.S. is building barriers around drones and robots, but China has scale to get around them
New U.S. restrictions aim to limit the use of foreign-made drones and robots, particularly those produced in China. China's manufacturing scale could allow it to redirect the competition to other markets rather than diminishing its position.
Read the full story →2 of 3 · TechCrunch AI
Musk’s faster path to more gas turbines comes with pollution problem
Elon Musk says a new SpaceX foundry will allow the company to cast its own turbine blades and bring gas power online 18 months faster than competitors. The approach relies on gas power sources that have prompted lawsuits and health studies in areas where such turbines have been deployed.
Read the full story →3 of 3 · TechCrunch AI
Caterpillar is bringing to AI deployment what it learned from automating mining
Caterpillar is applying lessons from its decades of automating remote mining operations to its approach for deploying AI. The company's experience with autonomous machines at mining sites is shaping how it implements AI systems.
Read the full story →That is today's roost. See you tomorrow morning.
Morning Roost Issue #72