What Paladin Drones does

Paladin Drones operates an integrated Drone-as-First-Responder (DFR) platform serving U.S. public safety agencies. The company was founded in 2018 by Divy Shrivastava and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Its solution combines proprietary autonomous drone hardware (Knighthawk 2.0, an NDAA-compliant drone launched in February 2026 with 40+ minute flight time and 70-second response capability), a centralized drone-operations software platform (Watchtower), LTE connectivity modules (Paladin EXT, partnered with T-Mobile for extended range), integration with computer-aided dispatch systems for autonomous deployment on qualifying 911 calls, and a white-glove FAA BVLOS compliance service that handles waiver acquisition and ongoing regulatory management. The platform also supports third-party DJI and NDAA-compliant drones, DJI Dock 3 autonomous docking stations, and a trade-in upgrade program called Paladin Fortify.

Paladin's business model centers on an annual subscription for the integrated DFR program — covering hardware, software, connectivity, FAA compliance, training, and 24/7 support — with pricing quoted per agency. A $8,000-per-month 30-day pilot program (extendable up to 120 days) serves as the entry point, and the company supports customer grant applications across FEMA, HSGP, DOJ Byrne JAG, and AFG programs. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with dedicated customer success managers, complemented by event presence at FDIC, IACP, FRI, TPCA, and the World Defense Show, plus content marketing aimed at city council proposal approval.

The customer base spans 120 active law enforcement and fire/EMS departments across 30+ U.S. states, with named accounts including Ferguson PD (MO), Forest Park PD (GA), Murrells Inlet FD (SC), Elizabeth PD (NJ), Hoover PD/FD (AL), Burlington PD (NC), Euless FD (TX), and Asheville emergency management (NC). The company has logged over 200,000 flights, achieves an average 47-second aerial response time, sees 72% of incidents before ground units arrive, and clears 11% of daily 911 calls without officer dispatch. International operations extend to India and Portugal through a February 2026 partnership with Beyond Vision. Paladin has raised approximately $23.5 million across funding rounds, including a $17 million financing in September 2025.

Name

Paladin Drones

Legal name

Paladin Drones Inc.

Website

https://paladindrones.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paladin Drones provides an integrated Drone-as-First-Responder platform for U.S. public safety agencies, combining proprietary autonomous drones, Watchtower command software, LTE connectivity, and FAA BVLOS compliance services across 120 law enforcement and fire/EMS departments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety Drone Software

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aircraft (UAV) (IMABAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)

Keywords

• Drone first responder
• Public safety drones
• DFR software platform
• Autonomous emergency drones
• FAA BVLOS compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Mountain View

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. DFR Hardware (Drones & Docking Stations): Paladin provides a comprehensive all-in-one DFR solution that includes drone hardware (Knighthawk 2.0 and third-party drones), docking stations (DJI Dock 3), and Paladin EXT modules. The company offers a trade-in/upgrade program (Paladin Fortify) for agencies with existing drones to integrate into the Paladin DFR platform.
2. Software as a Service (Watchtower): Watchtower drone response software provides centralized control for drone operations, live video streaming management, and mission data logging. This cloud-connected platform is included as part of the overall DFR subscription/service offering.
3. FAA Compliance & Professional Services: Paladin provides white-glove FAA compliance services including BVLOS waiver management, COA/JCOA securing, and ongoing compliance maintenance. The company also provides on-site setup, training, and ongoing support as part of its full-service DFR offering.
4. Pilot/Trial Programs: Paladin offers a 30-day trial pilot program at $8,000, with option to renew for up to 90 more days, allowing agencies to evaluate the DFR program before committing to a longer contract.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Paladin Drones provides an all-in-one Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution for public safety agencies, combining autonomous NDAA-compliant drone hardware (Knighthawk 2.0), a centralized command software platform (Watchtower), LTE connectivity modules (Paladin EXT), autonomous docking stations, and white-glove FAA BVLOS compliance services. The system integrates with Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems to autonomously deploy drones to 911 calls within 70–90 seconds, delivering real-time 4K and thermal aerial intelligence to dispatchers and first responders before ground units arrive.

Product overview

Paladin Drones offers an all-in-one Drone as First Responder (DFR) solution for public safety agencies. The platform combines proprietary hardware (Knighthawk 2.0 drone), software (Watchtower command platform), connectivity modules (Paladin EXT), and comprehensive services including FAA/BVLOS compliance and training. Agencies can also choose from curated third-party DJI drone fleets and the DJI Dock 3 autonomous docking station. The ecosystem integrates with dispatch systems (CAD) for automatic deployment and includes additional services like Paladin Fortify (fleet upgrades), FAA compliance support, and demo programs. The entire solution enables drones to autonomously respond to 911 calls within 70-90 seconds, delivering real-time aerial intelligence to first responders before ground units arrive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Knighthawk 2.0: NDAA-compliant autonomous drone designed for rapid emergency response with 40+ minute flight time and 70-second response capability
• Watchtower
• Paladin EXT
• Paladin Fortify
• Paladin EXT

Products and services

• Knighthawk 2.0 Paladin's proprietary NDAA-compliant autonomous drone designed for rapid emergency response, featuring 40+ minute flight time, 70-second response time, 70+ KPH cruising speed, 10x optical zoom, 4K wide camera, 640p thermal camera, 5G/LTE connectivity, advanced sensors, precision GPS, and obstacle avoidance.
• Watchtower Centralized drone response software that consolidates all drone operations into one platform, enabling control of 5G/LTE-enabled drones, managing live video streams, integrating with ADS-B for real-time aircraft data, and providing CAD integration for automatic deployment when qualifying 911 call types are received.
• Paladin EXT LTE cellular connectivity module that extends the operating range of DJI M30T or M350 drones by connecting to cellular networks, enabling BVLOS operations with up to 3-mile radius coverage and providing real-time video streaming and telemetry without relying on traditional radio frequencies.
• Paladin Fortify Trade-in and upgrade program helping public safety agencies convert their existing drone fleets into fully integrated Drone as First Responder programs with automated deployment and real-time situational awareness.
• FAA/BVLOS Compliance Service White-glove FAA compliance service handling Certificate of Authorization (COA/JCOA) acquisition and BVLOS 91.113(b) waiver applications for public safety agencies. Includes Concept of Operations development, submission, approval, and ongoing waiver management.
• DFR Pilot Trial Program 30-day pilot trial program at $8,000 (extendable up to 90 additional days) that allows public safety agencies to evaluate the Drone as First Responder program before committing to a longer contract.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average aerial response time of 47 seconds
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Beyond VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Paladin announced a global partnership with Beyond Vision, a Portuguese drone manufacturer, to integrate its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) technology with NATO-compliant fully autonomous UAV platforms. This partnership supports Paladin's international expansion targeting markets in the United States, India, and Portugal, combining Paladin's DFR solution with Beyond Vision's expertise in NATO-compliant autonomous systems. The partnership was unveiled at the 2026 World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skydio: Leading U.S. autonomous drone manufacturer with a strong public safety and DFR focus. Skydio competes head-to-head with Paladin on NDAA-compliant drone hardware and autonomy, and is often shortlisted in the same police/fire agency RFPs.
• BRINC Drones: U.S.-based drone maker purpose-built for public safety and emergency response (LEMUR, REVV). BRINC overlaps with Paladin on police/fire agency customers and indoor/tactical response use cases adjacent to DFR.
• DroneSense: DFR-focused drone operations and airspace management software platform for first responders. Directly comparable to Paladin's Watchtower as the command-and-control layer for public safety drone programs.

Broad incumbents

• Axon: Dominant public safety technology platform (body cameras, TASER, evidence.com) that has launched its own drone and DFR offering (Axon Air, Dedrone acquisition). Axon competes with Paladin at the platform layer for police department budgets and existing Axon accounts.
• DJI Enterprise: World's largest commercial drone manufacturer; DJI's M30T, M350, and Dock 3 are part of Paladin's supported fleet. DJI is a competitor on hardware and ecosystem, though U.S. public safety agencies are increasingly constrained from buying DJI directly, which is a tailwind for Paladin.
• Parrot: European drone manufacturer (ANAFI platform) producing NDAA-compliant and NATO-aligned drones for defense and public safety. Parrot is a competitor in the international/NATO-compliant segment Paladin is targeting with Beyond Vision.
• Motorola Solutions: Incumbent provider of public safety command-and-control software (CommandCentral, CAD) with which Paladin integrates for autonomous dispatch. Motorola is both a potential integration partner and a competitor at the broader agency software layer.

Emerging players

• Fotokite: Swiss-based maker of tethered public safety drones used by fire and police departments. Fotokite overlaps with Paladin on first-responder situational awareness but takes a tethered, station-based approach rather than fully autonomous BVLOS dispatch.
• Easy Aerial: Provider of autonomous drone-in-a-box solutions for security, public safety, and defense. Comparable to Paladin on autonomous docking and scheduled/perimeter monitoring use cases, with partial overlap in the public safety customer base.
• Shield AI: Defense-focused autonomous systems company building AI-piloted drones. Relevant adjacent peer as it expands into public safety-adjacent autonomy, dual-use applications, and NATO-compliant platforms that overlap with Paladin's international ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paladindrones
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYXmXVsRM5hNpRBZFEFs6_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/PaladinDronesInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paladin-drones
• Instagraminstagram.com/paladindrones

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paladin Drones