Sky-high demand for drones is creating a unique opportunity for ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA), AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV), Leonardo DRS Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS), L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) and Red Cat (NASDAQ: RCAT).
For one, drones are quickly becoming an essential tool for the U.S. government and defense as well as for multi-billion-dollar businesses involved in mapping, surveys, construction, maintenance, inspections, logistics, agriculture, oil and gas, security and even deliveries.
Two, President Trump just signed two executive orders that will accelerate American-made drone production, secure our airspace, and position the U.S. as a leader in drone technology.
Meanwhile, it’s all creating a massive opportunity for the drone-as-a-service (DaaS) market.
So much so that by 2032, the DaaS market could be worth about $355.55 billion, as noted by Research and Markets. All thanks to stronger business demand for enhanced efficiency and cost-effectiveness. We also must consider that drones are better and faster collectors of more precise real-time data for so many applications from maintenance to security. And the future of weather forecasting for extreme weather events and even wildfire detection and suppression could see innovation and improvement with thermal sensor equipped, water carrying drone fleets instead of airplanes and helicopters.
Within the DaaS market, we can look at unique companies, like ZenaTech, for example.
Unlike its peers, ZENA offers a unique DaaS AI-powered drone solution, where clients don’t need to purchase or even manage their own drone hardware and software. Instead, much like a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, ZenaTech’s DaaS offers the efficiency of drone technology hardware and software solutions in an easy subscription-based or pay-per-use basis.
Plus, with the DaaS model, customers can access drones for tasks such as land surveying, inventory management, inspections, security, equipment surveillance, power washing or precision agriculture solutions without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones, find a pilot or worry about regulatory approvals themselves.
All of which sets ZENA apart from its competition.
Expanding its reach, ZenaTech is also actively acquiring a national network of land survey businesses with existing customers while integrating its drone solutions, with plans to expand to a larger portfolio of drone offerings.
In fact, ZENA Just Announced its Green UAS Application for the IQ Nano Drone to Advance US Defense Opportunities and the Closes Sixth Land Survey Company Acquisition
ZenaTech just announced that its ZenaDrone subsidiary has submitted the Green UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) application for the IQ Nano drone enabling it to be added to the pre-approved procurement list for US Defense and government buyers.
This is now the company’s sixth U.S. land survey company acquisition, which is an essential part of its national Drone as a Service (DaaS) rollout.
In fact, according to Shaun Passley, Ph. D, CEO of ZenaTech:
“This acquisition further consolidates our presence in the Northwest area of Florida and adds more capacity to serve business and government with land surveys and a host of other more efficient drone-based services in an easy and economical Drone as a Service or DaaS business model. When combined with achieving Green UAS certification for our IQ Nano drone, we expect to create further US Defense, law enforcement, and government opportunities for indoor drone solutions which will be offered as part of our portfolio DaaS services.”
The acquired company, Empire Land Surveying, is a Pensacola Florida-based surveying firm with over two decades of expertise and replete customer relationships for topographic, boundary and control surveys, and will serve as strategic bolt-on to the January, 2025 acquisition ZenaTech completed of KJM Land Surveying, further adding reach, capacity, and business and government customers in the Northwest Florida and the company’s Southeast US region.
The ZenaDrone IQ Nano indoor drone is a compact AI drone in 20×20-inch and 30×30 inch sizes, is designed to perform regular and frequent inspections such as barcode or RFID scanning for inventory management, facility maintenance inspections, security monitoring, and 3D indoor mapping inside a warehouse, distribution or manufacturing storage facility.
Even better, ZenaTech has now closed six acquisitions across the US to date as part of its DaaS business model and strategy and has announced it plans to complete a total of 20 more acquisitions in the next 12 months.
Other related developments from around the markets include:
AeroVironment delivered company-owned, company-operated (COCO) maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services in support of the U.S. Navy’s 4th Fleet as part of Operation Southern Spear. AV’s JUMP® 20 medium uncrewed aircraft system (MUAS) was deployed across the Caribbean and southern Atlantic region, providing persistent ISR where it actively tracked potential illicit activities within the 4th Fleet’s jurisdiction. JUMP 20 is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) MUAS designed for rapid deployment, with fully hands-free autonomous launch and recovery capabilities on moving vessels—even in challenging maritime conditions, including sea state level 5 and winds exceeding 20 knots.
Leonardo DRS Inc. announced that it has been awarded a $41 million contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command to continue delivering critical combat management system hardware for U.S. Navy surface combatants, allied naval forces, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Under the contract, Leonardo DRS will provide a range of advanced hardware—including multi-screen consoles, displays, and peripheral equipment—designed to support the AEGIS Combat System and Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) deployed on a variety of large and small deck ships. The hardware serves as the primary operator interface for sailors to gather, process, and display vital battlespace information and make rapid tactical decisions. The system’s open architecture design ensures interoperability and scalability across current and future platforms.
L3Harris Technologies and NASA successfully test-fired the first RS-25 rocket engine slated to help power the fifth launch of the Space Launch System or SLS rocket for the Artemis Moon exploration campaign. This is the first hot-fire test of a flight version of the new RS-25 engine. The first four Artemis missions use upgraded RS-25 engines from the space shuttle program. “This successful acceptance test shows that we’ve been able to replicate the RS-25’s performance and reliability, while incorporating modern manufacturing techniques and upgraded components such as the main combustion chamber, nozzle and pogo accumulator assembly,” said Kristin Houston, President, Space Propulsion and Power Systems, Aerojet Rocketdyne, L3Harris. “Our propulsion technology is key to ensuring the United States leads in lunar exploration, creates a sustained presence on the Moon and does not cede this strategic frontier to other nations.”
Red Cat Holdings, a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, today announced it has secured new orders for its Edge 130 drone from the Army National Guard and another U.S. Government Agency (OGA), totaling $518,000. FlightWave, a leading provider of VTOL drone, sensor and software solutions was acquired by Red Cat in September 2024. The acquisition brought FlightWave’s flagship drone, the Edge 130 Blue into its family of low-cost, portable unmanned reconnaissance and precision lethal strike systems. FlightWave’s size, weight and vertical take off capabilities makes it ideal for maritime operations and littoral environments.
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