Brinc, a Seattle-based company, has launched a new public safety drone called Responder that is designed to assist police officers in responding to 911 calls. This drone is part of a system that includes a Responder Station and Brinc’s LiveOps software. The company believes that the drone can resolve about 25% of calls without dispatching officers, by delivering medical supplies, handling low-priority calls, and providing critical information during emergencies. The drone is equipped with high-definition cameras, thermal sensors, lights, sirens, and agency markings to identify it to the public.
Brinc’s Responder drone is the first in the industry designed specifically for Drone as First Responder operations (DFR). The drone is capable of flying ahead of police in response to emergency calls, quickly assessing situations, and in some cases, eliminating the need for direct human involvement entirely. In a collaboration with Redmond police personnel, a fictional video was created to showcase the drone’s capabilities. The drone was shown arriving first on the scene of a suspect gas station robbery, providing vital information to help resolve the situation.
Law enforcement agencies are increasingly turning to drones to improve efficiency and outcomes, particularly due to police staffing shortages. The New York Police Department, for example, plans to deploy 911 drones in partnership with Skydio, one of Brinc’s competitors. Brinc has raised over $80 million in funding and has a policy against using its drones as weapons. The company aims to revolutionize the public safety landscape by empowering first responders with advanced capabilities to significantly improve emergency response times and outcomes.
Brinc’s new system has garnered interest from over 150 agencies for city-wide 911 drone deployments using the company’s technology. Four agencies, including those in Hawthorne, Calif., Schenectady, N.Y., and Queen Creek, Ariz., plan to launch the system by the end of the year. Pricing for the system will vary based on hardware, configuration, launch sites, radio repeater sites, and ground-based radar requirements. Brinc’s existing products, such as the Lemur 2 drone and the Brinc Ball two-way communications device, are already being used by over 500 agencies to assist first responders in dangerous situations.
Other companies in the industry, like Aerodome and Anduril Industries, are also developing drone technologies for public safety and defense applications. Brinc’s CEO, Blake Resnick, has received funding from investors such as Index Ventures, Tusk Venture Partners, and Next Play Ventures. The company’s goal is to create innovative solutions for emergency response that leverage the capabilities of drones to improve outcomes and ensure public safety. By equipping first responders with advanced technology like the Responder drone, Brinc aims to address the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in emergency situations and provide them with the tools needed to enhance their capabilities.
