High-Level Summary
In this episode of Rise Urban Nation, host Taryell Simmons interviews former NASA flight research engineer and founder Deschzunell "DJ" Catlin about the future of aerospace innovation. DJ breaks down how his company, Asozi, utilizes Artificial Pilot Awareness to create an AI-powered co-pilot that dramatically improves flight safety and lightens pilot workload.
Key Takeaways
Eighty percent of general aviation accidents stem from cognitive overload and human error, which real-time cockpit intelligence can actively prevent.
Artificial Pilot Awareness (APA) operates on edge hardware, processing multi-modal vision and flight instrument data without requiring cloud connectivity.
Effective AI integration focuses on human-machine collaboration, acting as an advisory companion rather than stripping control away from human operators.
Resilience and embracing failure are critical for technical founders stepping out of corporate institutions into venture-backed entrepreneurship.
Detailed Outline & Topic Breakdown
From Southeast San Diego to NASA Leadership
DJ details his journey from watching fighter jets over Miramar to studying applied physics at Morehouse College, serving in the U.S. Air Force, and spending a decade at NASA managing programs such as the X-57 Maxwell all-electric aircraft and SOFIA observatory.
The Birth of Asozi and the White House Advisory
After founding the Equity Space Alliance and advising the White House National Space Council on HBCU space initiatives, DJ and his co-founder recognized the potential of machine learning in avionics, leading to the creation of Asozi—named after the Yoruba Orisha of tracking and judgment.
Solving Cockpit Cognitive Overload with Halo AI
DJ explains the operational architecture of Halo, an AI co-pilot powered by the APA model that integrates with standard flight hardware and iPads to provide verbal, human-like safety guidance to solo pilots.
Navigating Industry Challenges and Championing Representation
The conversation highlights the nuances of fundraising in capital-intensive deep tech, overcoming systemic biases, and empowering the next generation of Black innovators to build across aerospace and artificial intelligence.
Memorable Quotes
DJ Catlin: "The lessons learned in the loss are just as valuable as winning. To get to the win, you have to learn the lesson."
DJ Catlin: "The future isn't humans versus machines; it's humans with machines. We are creating technologies that enable better human-machine teaming."
Taryell Simmons: "Sometimes you're not meant to fit into the system. You're meant to build a new one."
Resources, Tools, & Recommendations Mentioned
NASA X-57 Maxwell All-Electric Aircraft Program
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)
National Space Council
Morehouse College
Thunderbird School of Global Management
