Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are grappling with unprecedented challenges. A staggering 87% of police departments are operating below their authorized staffing levels, while 911 operators are handling a record 240 million emergency calls annually. This translates to over 600,000 calls a day, with response times increasing and putting communities at greater risk during critical situations. The national average response time for 911 calls currently stands at 10 minutes, with delays even longer in major cities.

Earlier this year, we met Divy Shrivastava and were inspired by his vision of leveraging artificial intelligence to make cities safer. Paladin’s origins date back to 2016. Just before starting his engineering studies at Berkeley, a close friend's house was tragically destroyed in a fire, deeply impacting his community. Conversations with the local fire chief revealed two key challenges: fires grow exponentially, doubling in size every 30 seconds, and first responders often lack critical information when they arrive, as 911 callers are typically unable to assess the situation accurately.

Motivated by these insights, Divy founded Paladin. The company’s mission is to assist first responders with autonomous drones, providing real-time aerial views of emergencies. The goal: enhance situational awareness, reduce response times, and ultimately save lives. Improvements in drone navigation, awareness, and object recognition are all recent innovative leaps with AI – using AI models to remotely control drones and to detect and avoid aircraft.

We continue to be impressed with Paladin’s impact in such a short period of time. To date, cities have conducted over 12,000 missions using Paladin’s platform. Agencies leveraging Paladin report average response times of under 90 seconds and successfully resolve 30% of calls without dispatching ground units. This not only improves efficiency, but also reduces unnecessary risk to first responders.

Paladin keeps innovating, recently launching Payload Drop, a groundbreaking feature that enables drones to deliver lifesaving equipment—such as Narcan, life vests, and AEDs—directly to emergency scenes. This capability further extends the potential for rapid, life-saving interventions.

The Asheville Police Department in North Carolina deployed Paladin’s technology in response to Hurricane Helene. During natural disasters, when resources are spread thin and terrain is difficult to navigate, the ability to quickly assess multiple situations from the air is invaluable. Paladin’s approach aligns with the evolving priorities in modern public safety.

By providing comprehensive situational awareness, Paladin helps first responders make informed decisions, reducing unnecessary confrontations and fostering community trust. It exemplifies how AI-powered tools can enhance public safety outcomes when thoughtfully implemented.

We are proud to have led Paladin’s $5.2 million seed round, with participation from Khosla Ventures, 1517, and Toyota Ventures. We believe Paladin will drive meaningful change in public safety and redefine how communities are served.