Imagine calling 911 from a remote or hard-to-reach location. Before a police cruiser even arrives, you might hear the distinctive hum of a drone overhead—most likely one from Brinc Drones, a fast-rising startup founded by 25-year-old Blake Resnick. At just 25, Resnick has turned his vision for next-gen emergency response technology into a multimillion-dollar business, with $75 million in new funding led by Index Ventures.
Founded in 2017 and based in Seattle, Brinc has emerged as a key player in the U.S. drone industry. Resnick, who dropped out of college and briefly interned at DJI—the world’s largest drone manufacturer—has created an American alternative in a market largely dominated by Chinese companies. With growing restrictions on Chinese tech in the U.S., startups like Brinc are stepping in to fill the gap with homegrown innovation.
The company’s latest funding round brings its total raised to $157.2 million. While Brinc hasn’t disclosed its current valuation, Resnick confirms the new round is an “up-round” compared to its previous $55 million Series B in 2022. In 2023, the startup was valued at $300 million, according to Bloomberg.
Brinc Drones designs and manufactures specialized drones for police departments and public safety agencies, offering tools that go far beyond basic surveillance. These drones are capable of navigating tight spaces, breaking windows, and even delivering emergency medical supplies—a feature that could mean the difference between life and death in urgent situations.
One of the most impactful announcements tied to the new funding is Brinc’s strategic alliance with Motorola Solutions, a major name in the U.S. security tech space. Motorola, whose software already powers many 911 call centers, is integrating Brinc drones directly into those emergency systems. This means that when a call comes in, and the Motorola AI clears it, drones can be dispatched instantly—potentially reaching a scene faster than traditional responders.
Despite growing competition from other American drone startups like Flock Safety (valued at $7.5 billion) and Skydio (valued at $2.2 billion), Brinc is carving out its niche by emphasizing real-world functionality and tight integration with existing emergency infrastructure. Resnick remains optimistic.
“There’s plenty of room for growth,” he told TechCrunch. “Most of this market is still dominated by foreign players, and we’re here to change that”
As public safety increasingly intersects with cutting-edge technology, Brinc Drones is positioning itself not just as a drone maker, but as a critical infrastructure partner for the future of emergency response.
