“Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.” - Douglas MacArthur

On this Veterans Day, we remember, honor and thank the millions of brave Americans who put duty, honor and country first by serving in America’s Armed Forces. Our country’s foundation is built on their courage and sacrifice and we must never forget them.

Prior to joining Axon, I graduated from University of Arizona on an NROTC scholarship and then served two tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer. As a Veteran, I am humbled by the memory of serving with so many remarkable Americans. As the President of Axon, I am honored to work alongside many fellow veterans, likeBridget Sheffler, Product Designer and Albert Cushon, Sr Director of Infrastructure Engineering.

As the current Vice President for Axon’s Veterans Affinity Group, Bridget mentors fellow Axon veterans. “I feel like I have the best of both worlds” said Bridget. “I have a job I truly love with very rewarding work and I have the opportunity to regularly help fellow Veterans navigate careers in tech through the Affinity Group.”

I would encourage every American—and every company and organization— to protect and support our service members in uniform, past and present. At Axon, we are proud to support our military personnel in developing and deploying advanced technologies that will save and protect lives.

During my service, my unit was often in difficult situations dealing with a mix of insurgents and civilians. Several times after a bad outcome occurred I was left thinking there must be a better way. That’s why I’m so passionate about the work Axon is doing creating the tools and pathways to create better outcomes.

Many of us feel called by Axon’s mission to Protect Life. Our employees are building an incredible ecosystem of technology—including body cameras for transparency and a suite of software that accelerates justice—that empowers public safety agencies and communities to get everyone home safe. And I truly believe that Axon will create a TASER weapon that is so good and so effective that it will become the primary use of force option for public safety officers—something our CEO, Rick Smith talks more about in his recent op-ed published in Stars & Stripes.

To all of my fellow veterans, you have my deepest appreciation for your service to our country. We honor your sacrifices, both past and present, as we celebrate and recognize you.





As President of Axon, Luke Larson is responsible for leading the company’s day-to-day operations and overseeing all aspects of the company. Luke joined Axon in 2008 and has filled a variety of executive and management roles since then, becoming President in April 2015. Prior to joining Axon, Luke served two tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer and was awarded the Bronze star with V for valor on his first tour.

BLOG: Our Commitment to America’s Veterans By Luke Larson

Our Commitment to America’s Veterans By Luke Larson

Albert Cushon is an engineer, a Veteran and he was a retiree. After retiring in 2018, Albert re-joined the workforce as a Senior Director for the Axon Site Reliability Engineering team due to his connection to Axon’s mission.

“There are nice-to-haves in technology and must-haves. Axon is a must-have.”

“Axon was different. The work they do matters every day. People can die if our products don't work—those are big stakes.“ Axon is always striving to improve not only products but also processes. Part of improving process is to become more “mechanized.” You can help more people when you build a beautiful and repeatable process.

“We want to get to the point where the developer can write a line of code, and it is tested, security scanned, packaged, deployed and ready to operate for customers in a matter of minutes.”

One of the things that excited Albert about leaving retirement was the opportunity to lead young talent. He specifically focuses on teaching his team how to read a room.

Albert also strives to show his team how to be great communicators who ask questions and constantly want to learn.

“I have learned that if you are stuck with a ‘book’ answer, you end up getting stuck faster and don’t know how to grow the same way,” he said. “This isn’t just about code. For software engineers, it’s so much more than that now, especially at Axon. We save lives.”

Albert credits Axon’s culture and entrepreneurial, team-oriented mindset as the reasons the company is able to put fourth extraordinary products. "Axon is different because what we do matters, and the people this attracts tend to be good and focused people."

If you want to work alongside people passionate about our mission to Protect Life, join Axon today!

BLOG: Army Vet Comes Out of Retirement to Lead Axon’s Site Reliability

Army Vet Comes Out of Retirement to Lead Axon’s Site Reliability

When Bridget Sheffler wrapped her Army career, she knew she wanted to use her experiences to solve complex problems in society. This led her to join a masters program in Human-Computer Interaction and Design from the University of Washington. When Bridget began to research potential employers upon graduation, she knew she wanted to work at an ethical company where she could leverage her unique background.

Bridget first learned about Axon while listening to the Built On Purpose podcast. Luke Larson, Axon President and fellow Veteran, was on the podcast discussing unconventional software in the military. Just weeks later, she attended an Operation Code event, sponsored by Axon and learned more about Axon’s products and mission to Protect Life from Anshuman Srivastava, Director of Engineering. After talking with Anshuman, Bridget knew she wanted to be part of Axon’s mission.

After talking with Anshuman, Bridget knew she wanted to be part of Axon’s mission to protect life and in October 2019 she joined the Real-Time Operations team as a Product Designer. Bridget couldn’t have imagined a more ideal company to work for, where she could use her vast experiences to help first responders and the public at their most critical moments. She now works on Axon Dispatch, a system which connects 911 dispatch calls to first responders with the focus on saving lives. “It’s a challenging product to build, but equally rewarding and I love it. Every second of it.”

“I feel massive amounts of empathy for our users, and I just want to keep officers safe.”

Bridget values being part of a mission-driven company. Recently, she traveled to Fresno, California to train police officers on Axon Respond and understand how the product acts in the field.

When she connects with peers in tech, Bridget has found many don’t understand the scope at which Axon works with public safety professionals. “It’s been eye-opening for people in tech to see our customers and realize how hard their jobs really are. Coming from a 24/7 operation environment while in the Army, I understand how crucial these scenarios can be.'”

Bridget has also noticed how hard it is to onboard new employees to public safety products like Axon Respond, and has taken initiative to improve those training processes. “There is a learning curve when people start. We have more complexity than most people realize. I’ve been working with the People team and Leadership to change our onboarding approach. We did just that; I was surprised that my opinion mattered and was heard. Any employee can affect change and that’s one of the things I love most about our company culture.”

As the 2021 and 2022 Vice President for Axon’s Veterans Affinity Group, Bridget mentors fellow Axon Veterans. “I feel like I have the best of both worlds” said Bridget. “I have a job I truly love with very rewarding work and I have the opportunity to regularly help fellow Veterans navigate careers in tech through the Affinity Group.”

If you’re looking for a new mission, join Axon and Protect Life!


BLOG: Veteran Continues her Lifelong Mission with Axon

Veteran Continues her Lifelong Mission with Axon

Companies like to point out that “ideas come from anywhere,” and at Axon, one of our biggest ideas really did. Meet Isabella Giannini, Senior Manager of Customer Loyalty at Axon. She started as a Sales Development Representative, but when Hurricane Florence hit, she saw an undiscovered use for Axon’s people and technology: They could help first responders and emergency teams see the situation from angles above, within and beyond, creating a central command center in hours instead of days and bringing in supplies using their fortified networks.

Isabella pitched the idea as benefiting both corporate philanthropy and social responsibility. It only took the leadership team days to agree. Enthusiastically.

Axon Aid was born in October 2018. In its three years, it has grown into part of our mission to help bring truth and real-time support to help bring truth and real-time services to communities in extraordinary circumstances. Since its inception, Axon Aid has three pillars of focus: emergency response, officer safety & support, and volunteerism. While many Axon Aid deployments cross all three pillars, some specifically touch just one or two. 

“We would ask questions like, ‘What do responders wish they had 24 or 48 hours before a hurricane or fire, or 24 to 48 hours afterward?” Giannini said. “And we were able to find solutions. For example, we started exploring how we could use drones to help scan areas to respond in life-saving time without taking human resources away from other critical roles.”

When the COVID pandemic hit, many responders faced shortages of PPE and masks. The Axon team was able to access needed materials, rally volunteers and get supplies delivered to first responders to help them stay safe during the pandemic. Public safety professionals still had to do their jobs as COVID cases soared and the team supplied 1.2 million masks to more than 1.5 million first responders. The Axon Aid team also worked with distilleries around the country to convert alcohol to sanitizer and procure masks from every corner imaginable. 

Every Axon Aid volunteer is a part of Axon. Many of our employee volunteers are former law enforcement, military and dispatch professionals. They have a strong familiarity with the incredible work first responders do and are called to serve those who serve. “Axon Aid volunteers, like the rest of Axon’s global team, truly care about people. Each of us feels passionate about supporting first responders and their communities every day and in real-time during crises,” she said.

“Although donating money can be very helpful, our mission is really to help the people. What better way to do that than by working next to those in public safety in great times of need?” she said. “It is a deeply personal way to get employees involved with our customers on a much deeper level. In addition, we actively help with recovery programs to help the community rebuild and manage resource centers.”

As part of Axon Aid’s emergency response efforts following hurricanes of the last three years, Aid Pilots arrive within hours of a request for Aid and are entirely self-sufficient. In addition, the team provides live streaming drones that can offer real-time aerial views and 2D/3D interactive maps of damaged areas for insurance/inspection purposes within days.


In partnership with the Salvation Army and other relief organizations, Axon Aid can help make rescue and recovery efforts more efficient and reduce response times which saves lives.

“This is so important because there are families who wait, sometimes years, to access aid when their homes are destroyed,” she said. “By increasing efficiency, we can help these families access aid faster in order to rebuild their lives and communities.”

Axon Aid has supported more than 8,000 agencies across 6 countries with the Aid program. In the 3 years Giannini has been with Axon, she helped build a strong core team of 25 pilots and rallied hundreds of employee volunteers.

“It is important to be obsessed in the sense that we think about our customers and communities as people first,” she said. “We work hard to build trust, and we deeply care for the people who are affected by disasters and other on-the-job situations, and there’s never a shortage of volunteers; it’s a beloved program.”

To onboard volunteers, Axon matches their employees to their specific skill sets. Similar to the disaster relief provided after hurricanes, Axon Aid partnered with the Salvation Army’s Emergency/Disaster Services to bring drones and extra manpower to recovery and assessment efforts after the Telegraph and Mescal fires in Arizona. 

“For example, if you are bilingual we put you on translation, or if you like to cook we put you in the canteen to help feed people,” she said. “Volunteers become even more passionate about their role when they can work with their strengths.”

“We are committed to supporting our partners and communities when they need someone to step up and step in to help. We don’t do it for the headlines. We do it because we know what it feels like to struggle and the relief you feel when someone wants to help lift you back up. You can't just credit one person with this program. It is a team of people who were instantly united by an idea and a cause.”


Bella started with Axon as a Sales Development Representative, in our Sales Leadership Program in 2018. She then moved to manage our e-commerce team, where sales grew on average 240% each quarter, and the team launched our first international shopping experience. Bella and her team ran the Got You Covered PPE campaign, which in turn inspired the future of Axon Aid.

Learn More: https://www.axon.com/aid

#ThisIsAxon #TechForGood




Axon Aid: Walking into the Eye of Storms

As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we sat down with our HOLA Affinity Group leaders, Andrea Cordero-Rivera,Associate Chief of Staff, and Maggie Duarte, Revenue Accountant, to discuss their careers, cultures, and how the two interact. HOLA, Hispanic Origin and Latin Americans at Axon, is our newest Affinity Group, dedicated to spreading awareness and celebration of this community.

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

Andrea: My proudest moment was when I made the decision to leave my country, family, friends and everything I’ve ever known to follow my professional dreams. Moving 2,940 miles away from home wasn’t easy, but I felt empowered and determined to do so for myself. This has shaped the way I perform at work and my constant desire to grow.
Maggie: I can’t point to one exact moment, but I do have two Master’s degrees. That’s definitely an accomplishment.


How have your culture and heritage shaped you as a person, including any traditions that hold particular meaning or importance to you?

Maggie: I grew up in a neighborhood that is predominantly Hispanic and on the lower economic spectrum. My grandmother moved to the US when she was in the 3rd grade. Her entire life, she always wanted much more for the younger generation. Raising me, she instilled in me that higher education was the gold standard. In my family, they encouraged me to continue education and they wouldn’t “let” me fail. Whatever it took, they were there to support me all the way.
Andrea: It shapes everything in my life, not only how I behave but also how I interpret, decide, and act in my social reality. My culture has been fundamental in keeping me close to my country, despite the pressures of assimilation while living in the US It is not only about keeping my rituals, norms, and interpretations; it’s also about keeping my feet on the ground every time something comes up. It is the constant reminder of who I am and where I come from.


How are your culture and heritage reflected in your work?

Maggie: As a Hispanic/Latinx person, we usually come from big integrated families. Because of this, I’ve learned to work in the space at Axon with no problem at all! On a serious note, I tend to over-compensate for things and stretch myself too thin to get something done. It’s not for me, but for the group/family as a whole is what’s important.
Andrea: Being Puerto Rican has given me a lot of amazing qualities like working hard, being resilient, and a true passion for collaboration. I was raised being told 'si se puede' and as a result, every project I work on I give my 200% and get extremely passionate.

What is something about your community you would love your coworkers to know?

Andrea: I wish every person knew how important celebrations and holidays are for Hispanic countries. In Puerto Rico we celebrate EVERYTHING, quinceañeras, when your prima comes back home from the US, and my favorite, Navida (Christmas). A typical party around Christmas time starts at 6 am with the preparation of the lechon (pork) and parranda music in the background. While that gets done we make coquito for the entire neighborhood. And the actually party starts at 6 pm, I have so many beautiful memories around this holiday. These gatherings are truly part of our culture.
Maggie: Usually that family is extremely important. I view HOLA as an extended family and I want it to succeed.

Why did you volunteer to lead the HOLA affinity group?

Maggie: As I mentioned earlier, usually Hispanic/Latinx people tend to treat a group or environment as a whole, as family. It’s something similar to “it takes a village...” However, instead of raising a child, we tend to look out for each other as a group, as family. My desire to not let the family fail, to make sure that everyone is included and recognized or supported was so strong, is what prompted me to step up.
Andrea: I am a born and raised Puerto Rican who moved from the island to Arizona after graduating college in PR and I knew the challenges that came with that. I wanted to have a community within Axon to share my traditions and learn from others. I decided to launch HOLA because I knew we had a huge community of Hispanic/Latinx employees who were also looking for that. Someone had to put on the boots and get the job done, so I did and I couldn't be happier.

What is the best piece of advice you have received over the course of your career?

Andrea: “Always do what that makes you happy.” When my mom told me that for the first time I was 10 years old and I’ve applied it to every decision I’ve made since then. I believe it’s extremely important to prioritize happiness and my mental health because without those two...who are we?
Maggie: Always be true to myself, no matter what. I also liked what Jose Villegas, Axon's Senior Director Commercial Controllership recently said during our first HOLA event, to not let my background be a disability, but to use it as leverage in my career.


At Axon, Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) is central to everything we do on our mission to Protect Life — from our products to workplace culture. Axon supports employee Affinity Groups to serve as core pathways for engaging our employees in our JEDI work, while also fostering belonging and professional development for their members. We’re taking bold steps to build for racial equity, diversity and inclusion, and we rely on the diverse perspectives of our employees to help us drive success. At Axon, everyone is a part of the JEDI team — come join us!

Andrea Cordero Rivera is part of Axon's Leadership Development Program and currently serves as the Associate Chief of Staff for the President's Office. Her most recent experience was as a Product Manager for Axon Virtual/Augmented Reality team. She has a passion for changing the way people do things, making life easier and more efficient. She currently serves as a co-leader for HOLA.

Maggie Duarte has worked at Axon for over 4 years. She works in our Finance Department/Revenue unit as a Revenue Accountant. Passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, she was a member of the Axon Allies LGBTQ+ Affinity Group for two years prior to stepping up to serve as co-leader for HOLA.  Maggie also serves on the Human Relations Advisory Board with the City of Mesa.

BLOG: Insights and Perspectives-Introducing Axon's newest Affinity Group Leaders

Insights and Perspectives-Introducing Axon's newest Affinity Group Leaders

At Axon, we place a high value on Product Design and user experience. We recognize how critical an intuitive and consistent user experience is to our customers’ and communities’ safety—including TASER devices, Digital Evidence Management, VR training, body cameras, and Records and Dispatch software. To learn more about how Axon maintains a competitive edge by valuing Product Design, we sat down with Daan Lindhout, our VP of Product Design & UX Research.

What sets the Axon Product Research & Design team apart?

Axon is working on meaningful problems around safety and justice that directly improve and protect the lives of people around the globe. Our products play a crucial role in getting people help when they need it and preserving truth. Working at Axon is an opportunity to apply your knowledge and insights for social good. It’s our mission to Protect Life that galvanizes our team of 45 Product Designers and UX Researchers, who are each passionate about improving communities around the world. 

The Product Design and UX Research team is well established at Axon. We have an Axon Design System that guides each new project and application with tremendous support from the larger organization. The entire company recognizes how critical our work is to Axon’s success in empowering our customers to keep communities safe. And the level of integration in our ecosystem, the ease with which our products work together, makes us an industry leader.

We start by ensuring we understand the needs of our users. Our UX Researchers conduct usability testing with customers across industries and use cases. Usability testing is an opportunity to get insight into customers’ workflows, observe them doing their jobs, and seek feedback on our product ideas. It’s a fantastic moment when we truly understand their perspective and experience, and then improve their experience through our products.

Our solutions are being used in pivotal moments when getting help faster and better can quite literally save lives. So, we prioritize ease of use, efficiency, effectiveness and consistency, with an emphasis on how we can achieve these tenants through connectivity—like a body cam automatically recording when sirens turn on or a TASER device is deployed.

Product design can be challenging work, especially given the complex social settings our products are used in. The Axon network needs to function seamlessly in the rapidly evolving, emotionally charged settings our customers encounter. It is important to note the scenarios our customers encounter differ. Axon products must flex to service customers around the globe, each with their own procedures, laws and social norms.

We’re growing rapidly, expanding our team to meet the needs of Axon’s expanding ecosystem of public safety solutions. Across the globe—from the US to Vietnam and remote—we’re hiring. I am really passionate not just about the work we do, but about the team we’ve built. There is nothing more rewarding than growing a team of driven individuals who are doing the best and most impactful work of their lives. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together and am excited about the innovations yet to come.

Daan Lindhout serves as the VP of Product Design & UX Research at Axon. He brings 21 years of experience designing successful complex consumer and enterprise solutions and 14 years starting, growing and leading multi-disciplinary UX Design & Research teams and defining and executing on corporate product strategy. A Product Designer by heart, he has a passion for starting and building UX Design & Research teams and developing talented designers and researchers.

BLOG: Axon Keeps a Competitive Edge by Prioritizing Product Design

Axon Keeps a Competitive Edge by Prioritizing Product Design

Over the past 3 months, we’ve received more than 150 RISE nominations recognizing incredible public safety Officers, Agencies and Community organizations that have made an impact in their communities. Thank you for sharing your stories and voting for those who have made a difference. In all, nearly 17,000 community votes were cast to determine our top 10 finalists in each category.

Today, we are excited to announce our 30 finalists! To all of our nominees, we are honored to recognize you and share your stories. Our panel of judges is currently reviewing the finalists in each category to select our final winners who will be announced at Axon Accelerate. 

One of our goals at Axon is to encourage and support customers and communities making a positive impact on others. If you have body-worn camera footage or stories of positive or heroic interactions between your staff and the public, we encourage you to send them to video@axon.com and they will be featured in Axon social media and video projects.

Now, meet our RISE Award Finalists!

Officer Joreeca Dinnall - Hendersonville, NC
Officer Hubbard - Pottsville, AR
Sgt. Mark Tappan - Alpharetta, GA
Officer Cole - Killeen, TX
Officer Marshall - Cypress, CA
Officer Rhonda Wood - Gwinnett County, GA
Deputy Hearn -  Bell County, TX
Officer Travis Johns - Lincoln County, SD
Deputy Eddicus and Officer Kostohryz - Ramsey County, MN
Sgt. Anthony Shea - Orange County, FL



Santa Fe College Police Department- Gainesville, FL
Fond du Lac Police Department - Fond du Lac, WI
Province of British Columbia Police/ British Columbia Women in Law Enforcement - British Columbia, Canada
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office - Chambersburg, PA
Tye Police Department - Tye, TX
Walla Walla Police Department - Walla Walla, WA
Vancouver Police - Vancouver, Canada
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office - Lincoln County, SD
Redlands Police Department - Redlands, CA
Huntington Beach Police Department - Huntington Beach, CA



Out On Patrol - British Columbia, Canada
Building Bridges Program - Niagara Falls, NY
Police Activity League (PAL) of Waterbury, Inc - Waterbury, CT
Georgia K9 Foundation - GA
African Friendship Society - Vancouver, Canada
Orange County Department on Aging; Handy Helper Program - Orange County, NC
Boots on the Ground - Ontario, Canada
Garland Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association (GCPAAA) - Garland, TX
Delray Citizens for Delray Police - Delray, FL
God's Gift, Inc. - Broward County, FL


As a reminder, here are the categories and prizes:

The RISE Officer award honors three officers who have saved a life or shown exemplary performance in the field. Three Officer winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to Axon Accelerate in Phoenix, Arizona 

The RISE Agency award recognizes a department for making great strides in building up their community. One Agency winner will receive a $7,500 grant for their police foundation, police nonprofit or community program 

The RISE Community award honors a community program working hand in hand with law enforcement to benefit their local community. One Community winner will receive a $7,500 grant for program funding 

Over the past 3 months, we’ve received more than 150 RISE nominations recognizing incredible public safety *Officers*, *Agencies* and *Community* organizations that have made an impact in their communities.

ARTICLE: The 2021 RISE Awards - Meet our Finalists

The 2021 RISE Awards - Meet our Finalists

Axon is excited to welcome Chris Chin, VP of Immersive Technologies, as the latest member to our leadership team. Chris comes to Axon from Vive Studios, the content division of HTC Vive, where he served as Vice President and General Manager. While at Vive Studios he led content strategy, production and business development and played a pivotal role in expanding the scope of HTC’s VR content to Enterprise Solutions, especially in training, education and healthcare.

As VP of Immersive Technologies, Chris’ expertise in gaming, Virtual Reality (VR) and product development will further Axon’s vision to create a unified, immersive experience across our VR and Training platforms. Axon’s Immersive Technologies team works to transform public safety training through interactive experiences, both online and in-person, to create better outcomes for everyone.

“I am excited to join this incredible team and use my experience in extended reality to further Axon’s mission to protect life,” says Chris Chin. “I look forward to leading and growing the world class talent we have here at Axon as we continue to advance and develop immersive technologies to improve officer training and outcomes of encounters between public safety and the communities they serve.”


Chris holds a BSE from Princeton University, MS from U.C. Berkeley and MBA from Wharton Business school. He currently advises and mentors VR/AR startups and is an avid Boston sports fan.

What excites you most about working at Axon?
I’m most excited about how XR (extended reality) can support Axon’s overall mission to ensure everyone gets home safe. Axon has done an amazing job supporting public safety through innovation and technology, and immersive technology has enormous potential to contribute to that evolution. I’ve always been passionate about XR’s ability to have a positive impact in the world and now, at Axon, I’m absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to realize that vision--especially when it comes to learning and training. Axon’s people, culture, leadership and mission simply align with my own values.

What does an immersive experience mean?
Imagine putting on a headset and finding yourself in a different place, time or even as a different person. When you move around, the virtual world reacts intelligently to your actions. You can be placed in a situation to get a different perspective and build empathy and understanding, or you can learn how to handle difficult situations that you’d be hard-pressed to re-create in real life. The effect of the experience seems so real, that even though you consciously know it’s not, your brain can’t help but believe it’s real. You react viscerally, physiologically, and emotionally to what you’re experiencing virtually.

Did you ever think playing video games would lead to developing new uses for immersive experiences that directly impact human lives?
Back in the day, I never envisioned video games having much more impact beyond a sense of challenge, excitement, achievement, satisfaction and social bonding. That’s why it’s so exciting to see how the foundation of gaming has evolved into immersive technology at Axon.The use cases of how that is impacting people's lives are incredible. We’ve come a long way from playing basketball on a screen like Larry Bird or Doctor J!

Was immersive even possible a few years ago? How fast is this arena evolving?
Immersive technologies such as VR have been around for decades. However, only in the past 5 years or so have advances in computer, optics, mobile and battery made it possible for the technology to be readily accessible. This has opened up possibilities for immersive applications ranging from gaming and healthcare, to education and training. The ecosystem has grown tremendously and many of the largest tech companies are investing heavily in immersive technology as the next computing platform. Axon, and other innovation-oriented enterprises, understands the potential for XR to fundamentally transform how we live, learn and work. This will take some time, of course, but may happen faster than you’d think.

How is Axon growing in this space?
Axon is blazing new trails by pioneering immersive training for public safety. Our Community Engagement VR training has been extremely well-received by customers and we’re constantly adding more modules to meet demand. We’re also expanding our content portfolio with the recently announced VR Simulator training, and that’s just the beginning. I’m super excited about the enormous opportunity in front of us, as we also look to ramp up XR solutions in some of our newer growth markets including Fire and EMS. The potential is absolutely limitless, and we’re looking for great people to join the team!

Why is now a great time to join Axon?
Our world-class team is growing rapidly and building XR solutions that will have a truly meaningful impact in our communities. Joining Axon now would be a tremendous opportunity to get in on the ground floor to develop innovative, cutting-edge, immersive solutions that improve public safety training, increase empathy and much, much more. If you’re passionate about XR and our Mission, join us! This is just the beginning of Axon’s journey in immersive technology and we are really aiming far ahead!

To learn how to join Chris’ team, visit: https://www.axon.com/careers/board?department=4038010003


HTC Vive is a trademark of HTC Corporation, Princeton University is a service mark of Trustees of Princeton University and UC Berkeley is a service mark of The Regents of the University of California.

Axon is excited to welcome Chris Chin, VP of Immersive Technologies, as the latest member to our leadership team. “I am excited to join this incredible team and use my experience in extended reality to further Axon’s mission to protect life,” says Chris Chin.

ARTICLE: Axon Welcomes Chris Chin as VP of Immersive Technologies

Axon Welcomes Chris Chin as VP of Immersive Technologies

Axon Air is now “Axon Air powered by DroneSense.” In June 2021, we announced a strategic partnership with DroneSense to integrate their piloting, program management and operations solution with our digital evidence management platform, Axon Evidence, and real-time operations platform, Axon Respond — giving agencies a comprehensive drone program solution.


The new Axon Air provides an end-to-end solution for public safety personnel by combining Axon Respond's secure live streaming and Axon Evidence's digital evidence management with DroneSense’s industry-leading flight control interface and comprehensive program management suite. Axon Air powered by DroneSense is now available for iOS and Android devices.

Wireless evidence upload from the Axon Air application to Axon Evidence ensures data integrity and availability throughout the chain of command, and allows for easy evidence management.

Secure live streaming with Axon Respond and DroneSense’s Operations Hub allows pilots, operators and administrators to collaborate quickly and effectively by sharing mission-critical information including video, flight telemetry and geospatial information. 

Comprehensive program management tools allow easy management of pilots, flight logs, data and hardware in an intuitive program management interface. Operate a safe, accountable and transparent drone program and easily provide COA reporting for the FAA with the touch of a button.

Drones are more than just a flashy tool. They provide increased visibility, reduce harm and minimize risk to public safety and communities. They offer the de-escalation opportunities and the distance and vantage point required to get jobs done safely.

To learn more about the capabilities of Axon Air, visit axon.com/air

DroneSense is a trademark of DroneSense, Inc.

Axon, Axon Air, Axon Evidence, and Axon Respond are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., Some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved. © 2021 Axon Enterprise, Inc.

Axon Air is now “Axon Air powered by DroneSense.” In June 2021, we announced a strategic partnership with DroneSense to integrate their piloting, program management and operations solution with our digital evidence management platform, Axon Evidence, and real-time operations platform, Axon Respond — giving agencies a comprehensive drone program solution.

ARTICLE:  Empowering public safety with Axon Air powered by DroneSense

Empowering public safety with Axon Air powered by DroneSense

Axon Board Member Caitlin Kalinowski on VR and the Future of Police Training

Tell us about your background?
I’ve been interested in how things are put together for as long as I can remember. And to understand the inner workings of machinery meant I would take things apart, sometimes much to my parents' chagrin. I credit my stepfather for helping me focus on engineering. He was an experimental physicist at Stanford, and I was privy to a lot of his stories about his professional life in and around the university campus (including riding his BMW bike in the area), so years before I enrolled at Stanford, I was already interested in matriculating there. I went on to buy a motorcycle, study STEM, and graduated with my BS in Engineering in 2007. I later worked for Apple, helping design the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, and went on to leadership roles in the virtual reality domain.

Why did you decide to join Axon's Board of Directors?
Axon is utilizing VR training modules to teach police officers how to deescalate different situations. I decided to join Axon because they are at the crossroads of several different subjects that I care about: policing, community engagement, and using VR to make the world a better place. Axon needed expertise in VR technology and where things are headed, in addition to hardware experience, to help them with their future products. That made a really good mix for me – I could take my background in understanding and building hardware and my years of building VR to help Axon further the usefulness of VR training.

What does ‘tech for good’ mean to you?
Tech for good is applying technology, VR for example, in ways that have measurable, beneficial impacts on people and the world. My interest began with a curiosity in how things were put together, to know how they worked. As I started my career, that interest developed into a desire to use my knowledge and experience in ways that would benefit our lives. It’s not about advancing technology for its own sake. The real challenge – and my real goal – is to create the tools that will improve our lives, the environment, and the world as a whole.

What VR Modules did you find the most impactful or surprising and why?
You’ve heard some version of the phrase, “what you know you don't know, and what you don't know you don’t know?” Well, I realized that much of what Axon’s modules address is not about stopping criminals. First responders must learn to recognize and successfully deal with a range of mental and psychological conditions. Axon's current scenarios cover depression, schizophrenia, dementia, and so on. The goal of these modules isn’t about “catching the bad guy” but rather work to ensure the safety of the subject as well as the officer. Knowing that Axon is recognizing the wider realities that law enforcement faces really encourages me to work harder to design and refine VR tools that will help solve these societal issues.

Can you elaborate on ‘6 degrees of freedom’?
Basically, 6 degrees of freedom is the conversion of real-world movement into movement within a virtual space. Every possible head movement that can be made is on one of these 6 degrees. The VR of today accomplishes movement through interfaces such as headsets and hand controllers that track user movement in either 3- or 6- degrees. It’s a fundamental concept that must be understood in order to make interactions within these virtual spaces as naturalistic as possible. If you want to pursue a career in VR, this concept is important to understand.

How can working on VR at Axon advance my tech career?
Today, Axon is developing VR training for law enforcement, but the tech has so many directions it can go beyond this. Think of complex processes that must be remembered and involve physical movement – and you can apply that to many situations. For example, aircraft mechanics would be able to, in a step-by-step process, learn how to service difficult and complex parts of aircraft. Axon provides you the experience of applying real-world situations to VR, which is going to be happening more and more in the future. With the experience you gain at Axon, you can start to imagine the potential for VR technology in so many ways. Really, we’re just on the ground floor – engineers are going to push the boundaries of VR further and further.

What do Axon’s VR engineering roles look like?
Axon is applying VR in a very specific, yet immensely useful way that not only has positive implications for first responders but has a much greater impact on the communities they serve. Better trained officers mean we get more positive outcomes for more kinds of situations. In short, officers and civilians will be safer, and therefore it will help protect lives. Being an engineer at Axon means you get to be part of a team that’s pioneering these applications in a way that can make VR more than a device for entertainment or convenience – you're transforming VR into an essential, practical tool for training that will only expand into other professions.

Why are diversity, equity, inclusion important in the VR tech space?
More than important, it’s essential. The more diversity among people you have, the more diversity in ideas and approaches you get. And that is the best catalyst for innovation that leads to real advancements. Right now, women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce in the U.S. The percentage of graduates meeting the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in math and English is at a 15-year low – America is falling behind. If we’re going to give the next generation of STEM youth the best start, then we need to implement some real change – stop focusing on the gaps and start concentrating on diversity advocacy and change within our educational system. They’re going to be our greatest advantage within these fields, including VR.



To learn more about open positions on Axon’s VR team, visit: https://www.axon.com/careers/board?department=4038010003

Apple, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are trademarks of Apple, Inc. and BMW is a trademark of Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft.


Caitlin Kalinowski
Axon Board of Directors
Caitlin Kalinowski is the Head of VR Hardware for the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Division at Facebook and is responsible for the design and engineering of Oculus’s award-winning VR devices. A recognized leader in virtual reality and product design, she serves on the board of Axon Enterprise and is a member of the strategic board for Lesbians Who Tech & Allies, the world’s largest LGBTQ technical organization. Prior to joining Facebook, from 2007 to 2013 Ms. Kalinowski was a Product Design Engineer for Apple, where she led technical teams for the Mac Pro and MacBook Air and was part of the original Unibody MacBook Pro team. From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Kalinowski was a Product Design Engineer for OQO. She holds a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.


Axon Board Member Caitlin kalinowski speaks about VR and the future of police training

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