A former Thiel fellow’s startup just launched a drone it says can replace police helicopters

While speaking with Blake Resnick, he navigates through the expansive new 50,000-square-foot office of his drone startup in Seattle. Resnick anticipates that the setup will be completed by late in the year, possibly by November. Despite its current emptiness, the facility symbolizes the potential of a rapidly expanding enterprise poised to dominate its sector.

The sector in focus is public safety, and the company is Brinc, which supplies drones to police and public agencies throughout the United States. Resnick aims for Brinc to become the “DJI of the West,” likening it to the well-known Chinese drone manufacturer, indicating his ambition for Brinc to achieve similar recognition in the technology it provides.

Resnick, a former Thiel Fellow—a distinguished initiative supporting young entrepreneurs to bypass or delay college—established Brinc in 2017. Shortly after, he caught the attention of Sam Altman, then OpenAI founder, who became one of Brinc’s initial seed investors. Since then, Brinc has successfully completed several funding rounds, reaching an estimated valuation of nearly half a billion dollars, according to Resnick.

Brinc introduced its latest offering on Tuesday—the Guardian, a public safety drone. Resnick describes it as “the closest thing to a police helicopter replacement that the drone industry has ever produced.” Brinc asserts that it is the world’s “most capable 9-11 response drone” ever created.

The Guardian boasts impressive specifications and features. Capable of reaching speeds up to 60 mph, it can sustain a flight time of 62 minutes, according to its creator. It includes thermal imaging cameras and two additional 4K cameras, all equipped with zoom capabilities. “Even from significant altitude, a police department could read, like, license plate details,” Resnick explains. Additionally, it features a spotlight and a loudspeaker that exceeds the volume of a police siren.

The drone’s landing station, referred to by Brinc as a “charging nest,” provides fully automated battery swapping and can be stocked with essential safety supplies such as defibrillators, flotation devices, and Narcan, all managed without human assistance.

The Guardian is also equipped with a Starlink panel integrated directly into its structure, making it, according to Brinc, the first public safety drone with this feature. SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, ensures the drone remains connected from any location worldwide. “Starlink has never been built into a commercially produced quadcopter before, so [it] gives this airframe unlimited range anywhere in the world,” Resnick remarks.

Resnick perceives public safety as a significant opportunity. “There are about 20,000 police departments in America, 30,000 fire departments, 80,000 police and fire stations—and we think the top half of that market in the future will have a 911 response drone in a recharging nest on the roof,” he states. “It sure looks like we’re looking at a $6 billion to $8 billion market opportunity,” he adds, considering markets both domestically and internationally.

In this context, Brinc recently collaborated with the National League of Cities to expand “drone as first responder” programs across various communities nationwide. This initiative is likely to strengthen ties between the startup and potential client communities.

Furthermore, Resnick believes that recent geopolitical shifts have benefited his company. Until now, DJI held an unofficial monopoly on the global drone industry, including in the U.S., where safety agencies have consistently used DJI products. However, the Trump administration’s recent ban on foreign-made drones entering the country has created a substantial market opportunity.

“There is this huge need for a DJI of the West, or a leading drone manufacturer for the free world, and ultimately, that’s what we want to be,” Resnick concludes.