BRINC scores $75M, partners with Motorola, shrugs off China ban

Seattle-based drone company BRINC is flying high this week. The emergency response drone maker just raised a massive $75 million in new funding and announced a strategic partnership with Motorola Solutions — moves that promise to supercharge its mission to revolutionize 911 response across the US.

The new funding round was led by Index Ventures, with major backing from Motorola Solutions, which is now partnering with BRINC to integrate its drones into next-generation public safety tech. Additional investors included notable names like Mike Volpi and Figma CEO Dylan Field.

But the funding news comes on the heels of some geopolitical turbulence: China recently placed BRINC on its “unreliable entity” list. The move subjects BRINC — and others on the list — to broad trade sanctions and export restrictions, signaling strained relations as the US continues pushing for domestic drone manufacturing.

Despite the sanctions, BRINC isn’t flinching. A company spokesperson tells DroneDJ, “We have put a ton of resources, effort, and time on making our drones with components sourced from the US and allied nations and that has made us resilient.”​

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The $75 million will help BRINC scale up production, expand its team, and speed up the development of its next-gen drone systems. Already used by over 600 public safety agencies — including more than 10% of US SWAT teams — BRINC’s drones are designed to de-escalate dangerous situations and provide real-time intel to emergency responders.

“We will continue building world-class emergency response drones and scale our team to meet the growing demand for our life-saving technologies,” says Blake Resnick, founder and CEO of BRINC.

Thanks to the new alliance with Motorola Solutions, BRINC’s drones will now integrate with Motorola’s extensive ecosystem, including 911 call management software, dispatch systems, real-time crime centers, and license plate recognition tools. The goal? To allow drones to deploy at the push of a button and deliver critical aerial insights directly into public safety networks.

“BRINC is a leader in providing innovative, automated drone solutions for public safety agencies,” says Raj Naik, senior VP of strategy and ventures at Motorola Solutions. “We are excited to invest in BRINC, an organization that shares our mission to help protect and save lives.”

As BRINC continues its mission to protect human life with American-made drone technology, this fresh round of funding and high-profile partnership marks a major lift-off — despite any turbulence from overseas.

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