Public safety drone technology specialist BRINC has partnered with advanced radar solutions provider Echodyne to push the boundaries of drone operations for emergency services. This collaboration aims to enable fully automated drone operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without the need for visual observers — a current requirement under FAA regulations.
BRINC’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution, which has been recognized for dramatically reducing emergency response times and improving situational awareness, will now incorporate Echodyne’s advanced MESA radar technology. This integration promises to reshape how first responders deploy drones, offering enhanced safety and reliability while helping agencies meet stringent FAA standards.
Under current FAA rules, visual observers must be on-site during drone operations, limiting flexibility and adding staffing challenges to public safety agencies already facing workforce shortages. A 2023 study by the Police Executive Research Forum highlighted the strain on law enforcement, noting an increase in resignations and a 5% decrease in sworn officers over the past four years. The ability to operate drones without the need for visual observers could alleviate some of these pressures.
“By combining BRINC’s drone technology with Echodyne’s advanced radar, we are creating a safe, robust, and reliable solution for first responders to deploy 911 response drones autonomously to emergencies,” says Blake Resnick, BRINC CEO.
Echodyne’s radar systems are designed to provide continuous monitoring and real-time data on the drone’s surroundings, including nearby aircraft, obstacles, and dynamic changes. This level of situational awareness is crucial for safe BVLOS operations.
“Echodyne radars have been used for years by UAS centers of excellence, as well as FAA and NASA testing programs,” adds Eben Frankenberg, Echodyne CEO. “DFR represents a unique opportunity to introduce widescale BVLOS operations, and radars are the ideal sensor to provide detailed and accurate airspace situational awareness.”
As part of the partnership, Echodyne’s hardware will integrate with BRINC’s DFR system, feeding radar data directly into an agency’s LiveOps account. This allows real-time monitoring of drone operations, including ADS-B data, airspace advisories, weather conditions, and radar information—all from a single, unified platform. The system can even trigger automatic responses, such as grounding or rerouting drones to avoid potential dangers.
This partnership is poised to redefine the use of drones in public safety, making it easier for agencies to launch or expand their DFR programs. With the combination of BRINC’s advanced drones and Echodyne’s radar technology, first responders across the U.S. may soon have a powerful new tool at their disposal, capable of enhancing emergency response efforts more effectively than ever before.
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