Brinc has introduced a new Responder drone and Responder Station to aid police officers in responding to 911 calls and provide assistance in certain situations where human involvement may not be necessary. The company describes the drone as the first in the industry specifically designed for Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations. The system also includes Brinc’s LiveOps software and is capable of resolving about 25% of calls without dispatching officers by delivering medical supplies and handling low-priority calls.
The Responder drone is equipped with high-definition cameras and a thermal sensor to identify hot spots in structure fires and locate missing or injured individuals. It can be customized with red and blue lights, a siren, and agency markings for public identification. In a demonstration video with the Redmond police, the drone was able to provide critical information to the central command station during a suspect gas station robbery, helping to resolve the situation effectively.
The use of drones in law enforcement is gaining popularity as a means to increase efficiency, improve outcomes, and address staffing shortages. The New York Police Department has plans to deploy 911 drones in collaboration with companies like Skydio. Other industry players like Aerodrome and Anduril Industries are also developing drone technologies for defense applications. Brinc has raised over $80 million in funding and envisions a non-violent use of drones in public safety.
Brinc has already secured commitments from more than 150 agencies to implement the 911 drone system in their cities. Several agencies, including those in Hawthorne, Calif., Schenectady, N.Y., and Queen Creek, Ariz., are scheduled to launch the system by the end of the year. The company’s goal is to revolutionize public safety by providing first responders with tools that enhance emergency response times and outcomes. Pricing for the system will vary based on hardware, configuration, and additional features like ground-based radar for autonomous routing.
Brinc’s existing products, such as the Lemur 2 drone and the Brinc Ball two-way communications device, are already used by over 500 agencies to assist first responders in challenging situations. The Lemur 2 drone offers capabilities like breaking through glass, seeing in the dark, and communicating via a microphone, while the Brinc Ball device allows communication during standoffs. The company remains committed to developing innovative technologies that support law enforcement and public safety initiatives without the use of drones as weapons.
