There's an interesting power play happening in the American drone market. Blake Resnick, the guy behind Brinc, has some serious backing—Sam Altman and Peter Thiel are both in on this. His game plan? Push his quadcopters as the go-to choice for U.S. law enforcement agencies.

But here's where it gets spicy: Resnick's not just competing on product quality. He's actively working the lobbying angle, trying to get the federal government to shut out his main rival—a Chinese drone manufacturer. Classic strategic move when you can't outcompete purely on merit: change the playing field through policy.

This whole situation highlights how tech competition increasingly involves regulatory capture, not just innovation. When venture-backed startups leverage geopolitical tensions to kneecap competitors, you're watching the intersection of business strategy and government policy in real time.