When you dial 911, the first responder might soon be a drone—and it could arrive in under 70 seconds. That’s the vision of BRINC Drones, a Seattle-based startup that just secured 75 million in new funding to scale its revolutionary Drone-as-First-Responder (DFR) technology 64.
But here’s the kicker: BRINC isn’t just building drones. It’s rewriting emergency response protocols—and its new alliance with Motorola Solutions could make autonomous 911 drones as common as patrol cars. Let’s break down why this matters.
1. The $75M Bet on Drones That Save Lives
BRINC’s latest funding round, led by Index Ventures with Motorola joining as a strategic investor, will accelerate production of its Responder drone system—a purpose-built tool for 911 emergencies 48. Key features:
- 70-second arrival time to emergency scenes (vs. minutes for human responders) 1.
- 25% of 911 calls resolved without officers, easing staffing shortages 9.
- Life-saving payloads: Delivers Narcan, AEDs, and EpiPens mid-crisis 3.
For context, BRINC’s drones are already used by 600+ U.S. agencies, including 10% of SWAT teams 7. Now, with Motorola’s CommandCentral 911 software (used by 60% of North American call centers), dispatchers can launch drones with a button press 2.
2. The Motorola Partnership: AI Meets Drones
Motorola’s integration is a game-changer. Their AI system, Assist for 911, will analyze emergencies to determine when drones should deploy 2. Imagine:
- A heart attack call triggers a drone carrying an AED.
- A fire sends a thermal-equipped drone to spot survivors.
- A hostage standoff gets a drone with 2-way comms to negotiate 5.
BRINC’s CEO, Blake Resnick (a 25-year-old dropout), told TechCrunch: “Drones are often first on the scene, equipping responders to arrive better prepared” 6.
3. Why This Beats Traditional Response
Police and fire departments face critical shortages. BRINC’s tech addresses this by:
- Reducing risk: Drones scout dangerous scenes (e.g., active shooters) before humans 7.
- Cutting costs: A drone fleet is cheaper than staffing 24/7 units 9.
- Saving time: Thermal cameras find missing persons faster than ground searches 3.
In a demo with Redmond Police, a BRINC drone prevented a gas station robbery by providing real-time intel 9.
4. The Catch: Competition and Ethical Debates
BRINC isn’t alone. Rivals like Skydio (valued at 2.2B)and∗∗FlockSafety∗∗(7.5B) are racing to dominate police drones 6. But BRINC’s edge includes:
- Vertical integration: All hardware/software made in the U.S. (unlike Chinese rivals like DJI) 6.
- Motorola’s ecosystem: Seamless ties to 911 infrastructure 8.
Yet critics question privacy risks (e.g., drones recording public spaces) and over-reliance on tech. BRINC insists its drones can’t weaponize and include transparency portals for public oversight 15.
5. What’s Next? A Drone in Every City
BRINC plans to deploy city-wide DFR programs in Hawthorne (CA), Schenectady (NY), and Queen Creek (AZ) by 2025 9. Each system costs 250K–1M, depending on stations needed 9.
As Resnick puts it: “We’re not just selling drones—we’re selling minutes saved in emergencies”
Subscribe to my whatsapp channel