Ubicquia buys gunshot-detection firm Databuoy to expand its public safety platform
What's the deal? Ubicquia has acquired Databuoy CorporationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, developer of the Shotpoint multi-threat sensor and locator platform, for an undisclosed sum. The deal, announced September 14, 2026, folds Databuoy's technology into Ubicquia's UbiShield public safety portfolio.
Who's who? Fort Lauderdale-based Ubicquia provides intelligent infrastructure platforms for utilities, municipalities, and law enforcement agencies, with tools spanning video analytics, license plate recognition, and traffic monitoring. Databuoy, based in Vienna, Virginia, builds gunfire detection, drone detection, precision incident reporting, and mobile panic-button services.
Why now? The acquisition comes amid heightened national focus on protecting the US electric grid. Executive Order 14421, issued in August 2026, declared a national emergency over vulnerabilities in the bulk-power system and called for affected equipment to be identified, monitored, and secured.
What's the endgame? By pairing its grid-monitoring capabilities with Databuoy's detection platform, Ubicquia can offer utilities a combined solution covering grid visibility and physical security. Databuoy also extends the platform indoors, into schools, government buildings, and other facilities.
How it works: A single Shotpoint sensor network supports multiple detection services at once — the same infrastructure that localizes gunfire can also detect drones, with new services added without extra hardware. Its three-dimensional detection can identify elevated shooters and trace rifle fire, including approximate floor level. The Shotpoint sensors and software hold US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation.
What changes for customers? Databuoy serves cities, utilities, retailers, airports, stadiums, and school systems. Shotpoint and Geofob, its centimeter-accurate mobile panic button, are available to Ubicquia customers immediately. The Databuoy team will be fully integrated but continue operating from Vienna.
What they said: The deal lets Ubicquia "immediately offer multi-threat detection services to our rapidly growing municipal, utility and public safety customer base," said chief executive officer Ian Aaron. Databuoy CEO Kathleen Griggs called it "an exciting opportunity to take that technology to the next level and reach a broader market."
The signal: The acquisition reflects a growing convergence of critical infrastructure management and physical security, as regulatory pressure pushes utilities and cities toward integrated monitoring. Consolidating grid visibility with threat detection on shared sensor networks points to where the market is heading.
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
