SEATTLE — In the face of rising tariffs and shifting trade dynamics, U.S. corporations are reassessing their production and sales strategies. This transformation is evident in the recent strategic alliance between Illinois-based Motorola Solutions and BRINC, an emergency drone manufacturer from Seattle. The partnership, sealed shortly after President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on China, marks a pivotal moment for BRINC, as the tech giant also invested $75 million in the company, headquartered in Seattle's vibrant Fremont neighborhood.
Todd Piett, Senior Vice President of Command Center Solutions at Motorola, sees the collaboration as an exciting step forward. "We view 'drone as a first responder' as just another tool, a truly transformative one," Piett explained. "Motorola touches almost every agency in the U.S. — from police to firefighters, nearly every public safety department uses our products." The fact that BRINC's drones are proudly U.S.-made adds another compelling layer to the partnership, enhancing its appeal in an era where national production is increasingly valued.
Blake Resnick, the founder and CEO of BRINC, sees the partnership as a game-changer for both the company and its mission. "This investment will allow us to scale up production and hire more talent," he said, emphasizing the integration of BRINC's technology with Motorola Solutions' robust infrastructure. The collaboration aims to make drone technology an essential part of first-response operations, enabling officers and firefighters to deploy drones instantly. "Imagine an officer pressing a panic button that sends a signal to a teleoperator. From there, they can deploy a drone to the exact location, providing real-time visuals of the situation," Resnick shared.
The economic landscape is shifting the U.S. drone market, especially as tariffs on Chinese-made products continue to rise. A recent study revealed that by 2020, Chinese-manufactured DJI drones accounted for around 90% of drones used by U.S. public safety agencies. However, with increased tariffs, these drones have become more expensive, opening the door for BRINC's more cost-effective, U.S.-made alternatives. "After the latest rounds of tariffs, DJI drones have certainly become much more expensive," Resnick noted. "Our products are now much more competitive in price."
Another crucial factor in the growing interest in BRINC’s drones is data security, a concern that Motorola's Piett is well aware of. "We sell a lot into agencies that are increasingly concerned about the origins of their technology," Piett explained. "This partnership gives us a unique opportunity to expand our capabilities and scale BRINC in ways that will transform the landscape of public safety."
Resnick echoed the sentiment, highlighting the mutual benefits of the partnership. "Motorola has access to nearly all the customers we’ll ever need in the free world. This collaboration opens up incredible opportunities for us to showcase our technology to a wide array of agencies worldwide," he said, pointing to the powerful potential of the partnership.
BRINC’s "drone as a first responder" technology is designed to operate as a network on the roofs of police departments and firehouses, making it easy to deploy drones instantly in response to emergencies. "We’ve added red and blue LEDs on the aircraft, so first responders can communicate their presence on the ground," Resnick demonstrated while showing KING 5 a BRINC 911 response drone. The company’s cutting-edge technology is already making waves globally, with over 700 agencies using BRINC drones to respond to emergencies.
One notable example is the Redmond Police Department, which utilizes BRINC drones to deliver critical supplies to emergency scenes. "We can send the drone flying at 60 miles per hour to a precise GPS location," Resnick explained. "Upon arrival, the drone can deliver defibrillators, Narcan, personal flotation devices, EpiPens, and even provide real-time visuals to assist police in understanding what’s happening before they arrive on the scene."
The evolution of drone technology is reshaping emergency response capabilities, and thanks to this strategic alliance, BRINC and Motorola Solutions are positioning themselves at the forefront of this critical innovation.