The next time you dial 911 from a remote or hard-to-reach location, the first responder might not arrive in a cruiser. It could be a buzzing drone flying overhead. And odds are, that drone could be from Brinc, a fast-rising Seattle startup that’s reinventing emergency response from the skies.
Founded in 2017 by college dropout Blake Resnick—who was just 17 at the time. Brinc Drones is quickly becoming a major player in U.S. drone tech. At only 25, Resnick now leads one of the most talked-about drone startups in the country. The company just announced a fresh $75 million in new funding, led by Index Ventures. Bringing its total raised to $157.2 million.
While Brinc isn’t revealing its latest valuation. Resnick confirmed that this is an “up-round” compared to the $55 million Series B it closed in 2022. Bloomberg previously pegged its valuation at $300 million in 2023.
What sets Brinc apart isn’t just the capital or its youth-led leadership—it’s the critical missions its drones are designed for. Brinc develops drone systems specifically for law enforcement and public safety departments. Part of a growing trend among U.S. startups building domestically due to mounting restrictions against Chinese drone makers like DJI. Interestingly, Resnick himself once interned at DJI, the Chinese drone giant now facing pressure from U.S. policymakers.
The latest funding round isn’t just about the money. It’s about who’s backing the mission. Brinc is partnering with Motorola Solutions, a security tech giant whose software runs many of the 911 call centers across the U.S. Motorola also invested in the round, marking the start of what Brinc calls a “strategic alliance.” This collaboration will allow 911 operators to deploy Brinc drones directly from their systems during emergencies, once cleared by Motorola’s AI-powered tools.
This integration could significantly speed up response times in critical situations. Especially in areas where seconds matter and traditional responders may take too long to arrive.
Brinc is entering a fierce but fast-growing market. It joins a select group of U.S. drone companies like Skydio and Flock Safety. Both of which cater to public safety use cases and boast eye-popping valuations. Flock recently closed a round that valued it at $7.5 billion, while Skydio was last valued at $2.2 billion.
Still, Resnick believes there’s plenty of room to scale. “It’s a massive market still largely owned by Chinese companies.” Brinc aims to stand out not just through its tech stack, but also through specialized features. Its drones can break through glass to enter buildings or deliver essential medical supplies during emergencies.
With rising demand for law enforcement tech built in the U.S., combined with the powerful integration of Motorola’s 911 infrastructure, Brinc is betting big that the future of emergency response will fly—literally.
