| Legal Name | BRINC Drones, Inc. |
| HQ | 3668 Albion Pl N, Seattle, WA 98103 |
| Founded | 2017, in response to the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay shooting |
| Incorporation | Delaware |
| SAM.gov UEI | E4YKNMWPY765 |
| CAGE Code | 8VW30 |
| Compliance | NDAA compliant, CJIS compliant, Blue UAS approved |
| Employees | ~133 (PitchBook, 2025) |
| Status | Private, venture-backed, independent |
BRINC makes tactical drones for law enforcement, mostly US agencies. They claim 600+ agency customers and say they're in 10%+ of US SWAT teams.
Total raised: $157.2M across four rounds. Last confirmed valuation: $300M (Bloomberg, April 2023). They closed an up-round in April 2025 but didn't disclose the new valuation.
| Date | Round | Amount | Lead | Key Participants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Seed | $2.2M | Sam Altman | — |
| 2022 | Series A | $25M | Index Ventures | Sam Altman, Tusk Ventures, Jeff Weiner, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Alexandr Wang |
| 2022 | Series B | $55M | Index Ventures | Existing investors |
| 2025 | Series C | $75M | Index Ventures | Motorola Solutions (strategic), Mike Volpi, Dylan Field |
| Name | Title | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Blake Resnick | Founder & CEO | Age 26. Thiel Fellow (2020). Internships at DJI, Tesla, McLaren. Built fusion reactor at 14. Net worth >$100M (Bloomberg). Did not complete degree at Northwestern. |
| Manoj Mohan | Chief Growth Officer | Former Axon executive. 20 years GTM experience. Prior: Sony Electronics, Sanofi, Cegedim. Architected BRINC's subscription model. |
| Walker Robb | VP, Engineering | Former Sr. Manager, Product Engineering at Meta. Former engineer at Amazon Prime Air and Oculus VR. Leads 18-person engineering team. |
| Robert Madel, CFA | Head of Finance | BS, US Naval Academy. MBA, UW Foster School. Prior: Amazon, AWS. CFA charterholder. |
| Esmael Ansari, MPA | VP, Government Relations | Former Axon government relations. Prior: Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. MPA, Northeastern. Has presented to White House/NSC on drone policy. |
| Marissa Good | VP, Manufacturing & Supply Chain | Oversees US manufacturing in Seattle. |
| Don Redmond | VP, DFR Programs | University of Oklahoma. Based in San Diego. Leads drone-as-first-responder sales and deployment. |
| Jocelyn Coimbre | Head of People | HR leadership. |
Board isn't public. Vlad Loktev (Index Ventures) almost certainly has a seat — he's led every round.
| Name | Role | Political Lean |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Altman | CEO, OpenAI (seed investor) | Democrat |
| Bradley Tusk | Tusk Venture Partners | Democrat — fmr Bloomberg campaign mgr |
| Patrick Shanahan | Fmr Acting SecDef | Republican — Trump appointee |
| Julius Genachowski | Fmr FCC Chairman | Democrat — Obama appointee |
| Shyam Sankar | COO, Palantir | R-leaning — Thiel network |
| Dylan Field | CEO, Figma | — |
| Alexandr Wang | CEO, Scale AI | — |
| Jeff Weiner | Fmr LinkedIn CEO | — |
The bipartisan mix looks deliberate. Blake Resnick has zero FEC donation records — hasn't given a dime to either party (checked all cycles 2020–2026). BRINC spends ~$240K/year lobbying on drone regulation and public safety funding.
| Platform | Rating | Sample | Key Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indeed | 1.4 / 5.0 | 5 reviews | Toxic leadership, poor work-life balance |
| Glassdoor | 74% recommend | Limited | Management concerns |
The Indeed score is bad. Only 5 reviews so take it with a grain of salt, but at 133 people in a growth phase, turnover hurts.
| Size | 16" × 13" × 4" (405 × 332 × 99 mm) |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg |
| Flight Time | ~20 minutes |
| Camera | 4K visible + FLIR Boson 640×512 thermal |
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Frame | Carbon fiber reinforced nylon |
| Protection | IP24 water resistant |
| Price | ~$10,000 (drone); kits $10K–$20K+ |
| Key Features | GPS-denied flight, two-way audio, glass breaker, TURTLE mode (self-righting), real-time LiDAR floor plan generation, mesh networking, 4G LTE streaming, payload delivery |
This is BRINC's main product. Built specifically for indoor tactical ops — nobody else makes anything like it at this scale.
Throwable softball-sized device with camera, mic, and speaker. Used in hostage/barricade situations. Launched October 2024. ~$2,500–$5,000.
Announced May 2024 for 911 response. Works with Motorola VESTA 911 and APX radios. Has robotic charging docks for autonomous launch. BRINC says they signed 4 citywide DFR contracts before the product even shipped, with 150+ agencies in the pipeline. This market is more crowded though — Skydio and Flock/Aerodome are already here.
Skydio — Biggest US drone maker. $2.2B valuation (2022). ~$295M revenue, ~870 employees. $715M+ raised. In 1,000+ public safety agencies across 47 states. $1.2B in defense bookings. Their AI autonomy is better than BRINC's. Got out of the consumer market in 2023. Backed by a16z, IVP, NVIDIA, Axon. But they can't do indoor, can't do two-way comms, can't deliver payloads.
Axon (AXON) — ~$45B public company. $2B+ revenue. Connected to ~17,000 of the ~18,000 US law enforcement agencies. Bought Dedrone (counter-drone) in May 2024. Partners with Skydio for "Axon Air." Their ecosystem is everywhere — TASER, body cams, Evidence.com, records management, Fusus. If you're already buying everything from Axon, why would you go to BRINC for drones? That's the biggest threat.
Flock Safety — $7.5B valuation (Mar 2025). ~$300M revenue. $657M+ raised. 12,000+ customers in 49 states. Bought Aerodome (DFR platform) for $300M+. But they're catching heat — dozens of cities dropped them over immigration enforcement concerns (LA Times, Mar 2026). Their drone offering is brand new and unproven.
Anduril — $30.5B valuation. $1B+ revenue, doubled in 2024. Defense-focused — not LE, but worth knowing. Won $9B General Atomics drone program and $642M Navy counter-drone contract (Mar 2025). Building Arsenal-1 factory in Columbus, OH (4,000 jobs). Deep ties to Trump administration via Peter Thiel network. Lattice OS creates platform lock-in across defense. Not a direct BRINC competitor but sets the ceiling for what defense drone companies look like.
| Company | Revenue | Valuation | Raised | Employees | LE Customers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axon | $2B+ | ~$45B | Public | ~4,000 | ~17,000 |
| Flock | ~$300M | $7.5B | $657M | ~1,100 | 12,000+ |
| Skydio | ~$295M | $2.2B | $715M+ | ~870 | 1,000+ |
| BRINC | $42–100M* | $300M | $157M | ~133 | 600+ |
*BRINC revenue not disclosed. Range from Growjo ($42M) to LeadIQ ($50–100M). Sources: SEC filings, Latka, Tracxn, CBInsights, Bloomberg, company websites.
| Capability | BRINC | Skydio | Axon | Flock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor Tactical | Best | No | No | No |
| Outdoor DFR | New | Mature | Via Skydio | Via Aerodome |
| GPS-Denied | LiDAR | Visual | No | No |
| Two-Way Comms | Yes | No | No | No |
| Glass Breaker | Yes | No | No | No |
| Payload Delivery | Yes | No | No | No |
| AI Autonomy | LiDAR | Best | Fusus AI | ALPR |
| Defense/DoD | Minimal | $1.2B | Yes | No |
| Counter-Drone | No | No | Dedrone | No |
| Ecosystem | Standalone | Axon tie | Massive | ALPR+drone |
| NDAA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Made in USA | Seattle | San Mateo | Scottsdale | Atlanta |
Skydio
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| AI autonomy stack — unique in US market | Not yet profitable; burns $238M–$348M to profitability |
| 1,000+ public safety agencies; all DoD branches | $2.2B valuation makes entry expensive |
| Axon integration (17K LE agencies potential) | LVMPD deal raised ethics questions (VC-funded police contract) |
| $1.2B order backlog; 80% YoY revenue growth | Exited consumer market — revenue concentration risk |
| Software subscription model (higher margins) | Chinese sanctions create component/supply risks |
| US manufacturing (Hayward, CA) — NDAA compliant | No IPO timeline confirmed |
| NVIDIA partnership (AI compute advantage) |
Anduril
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| $30.5B valuation; $1B+ revenue; doubled in 2024 | Extremely high entry cost for private investors |
| Direct Trump/Hegseth access = procurement advantage | Politically polarizing — loses contracts under Dem administrations |
| $9B General Atomics drone program contract | Focused on defense ISR/combat — not law enforcement |
| $642M Navy counter-drone contract (Mar 2025) | Ethical controversy around autonomous lethal systems |
| Arsenal-1 (Columbus, OH): scaling to 4,000 jobs | Sanctioned by China — global market limitations |
| Lattice OS: platform lock-in across defense | Revenue dependent on administration continuity |
| Founders Fund, a16z, Peter Thiel network |
BRINC
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| 500+ active LE contracts (most in sector for indoor) | Smaller scale vs. Skydio; less revenue disclosed |
| LEMUR 2 indoor tactical is unique in US market | Laredo PD noted "growing pains and technical difficulties" |
| Motorola Solutions partnership = deep LE integration | Skydio/Axon bundle outcompetes on integration depth |
| GovFunds grant navigation = removes procurement barrier | Single-vendor risk; lock-in works both ways |
| Sam Altman (OpenAI) investment = AI credibility signal | No defense/military revenue; purely civilian market |
| Most affordable DFR entry point for smaller agencies | Limited geographic diversification outside US |
| Series C at $300M+ valuation = growth validated |
| City | Pop. | Vendor | Contract Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas Metro, NV | 2.3M | Skydio | $7.6M (VC-funded) | Country's largest docked drone network. Ben Horowitz (a16z) orchestrated funding |
| Los Angeles, CA | 3.9M | Multiple (DJI legacy + transition) | Ongoing | LAPD expanded drone use to routine emergency calls, June 2025 |
| Orlando, FL | 320K | Skydio (via Axon) | $6.83M / 8 yrs | 11 drones, 9 rooftop docks. Drones beat officers to scene 33% of calls |
| Laredo, TX | 265K | BRINC | $2.26M / 5 yrs | Border city; 6 drones; CAD integration |
| Newport Beach, CA | 86K | BRINC | $2.17M / 5 yrs | 7 drones + charging nests; BVLOS waiver required |
| Chula Vista, CA | 280K | DJI (legacy) / transitioning | Ongoing | DFR pioneer; ongoing public records legal battles on drone footage |
| Redmond, WA | 80K | BRINC + Skydio | Undisclosed | First WA state BVLOS FAA approval; 2 BRINC + 3 Skydio docks |
| Victorville, CA | 130K | BRINC | $832K / 3 yrs | COPS Act funding; most cost-efficient DFR in CA at $277K/yr |
| Frederick, MD | 85K | BRINC | $400K | 75% of flights are missing persons; one rooftop dock |
Total verified public contract value: >$6.5M. With 600+ claimed customers, most relationships are not publicly reported.
| Agency | Value | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newport Beach, CA PD | $2,176,037 | 5-year | DFR (6 Responder + 1 LEMUR + docks) |
| Oxnard, CA PD | $2,000,000 | 5-year | DFR (3 Responder + 2 LEMUR + 3 nests) |
| Victorville, CA | $832,000 | 3-year | DFR, state-funded |
| Schenectady, NY PD | $695,000 | 6-year | 3+ LEMUR 2 + BRINC Ball + DFR |
| Frederick, MD PD | $400,000 | — | DFR (1 drone + dock + software) |
| Georgetown, KY PD | $300,000 | — | LEMUR 2 system |
| NYPD | ~$87,750 | — | ~10 LEMUR 2 (pilot/evaluation) |
| Redmond, WA PD | Undisclosed | — | DFR pilot (alongside Skydio) |
| Hawthorne, CA PD | Undisclosed | — | LEMUR 2 |
| Las Vegas Metro PD | Undisclosed | — | Founding customer (2019+) |
BRINC has a Sourcewell contract (#020625-BRNC, through 7/2029) so agencies can buy without going through a separate bid process. Most federal money comes in indirectly — departments use grants (COPS, UASI, SHSGP) to buy BRINC gear.
10 verified BRINC customer cities. Political mix: 7 Democrat, 2 Republican, 1 swing. 5 of 10 are majority-minority. 4 of 10 in California.
| City | Pop. | White | Hispanic | Black | Lean | Med. Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC | 8.3M | 31% | 29% | 20% | D+43 | $70,663 |
| Las Vegas | 661K | 29% | 33% | 12% | D+5 | $54,020 |
| Oxnard | 202K | 23% | 74% | 3% | D+30 | $76,507 |
| Victorville | 135K | 23% | 52% | 17% | R+5 | $52,046 |
| Hawthorne | 88K | 11% | 57% | 22% | D+40 | $57,576 |
| Newport Beach | 85K | 74% | 10% | 1% | R+15 | $127,223 |
| Frederick | 78K | 60% | 16% | 15% | D+10 | $82,373 |
| Redmond | 73K | 44% | 7% | 2% | D+30 | $131,564 |
| Schenectady | 68K | 49% | 13% | 22% | D+25 | $42,058 |
| Georgetown, KY | 38K | 81% | 6% | 6% | R+30 | $58,762 |
4 of 10 verified customers are in California — probably because of state grant programs and the fact that CA agencies tend to adopt tech faster. That concentration is worth watching.
Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 2023, Cook PVI