Draganfly Announces Cameron Chell as Executive Chairman of the Board
Rhea-AI Summary
Draganfly (NASDAQ: DPRO) announced on January 20, 2026 that Chief Executive Officer Cameron Chell has been appointed Executive Chairman of the Board, replacing Scott Larson, who will remain a board member. Mr. Chell has served as the company’s CEO since August 2019. The change consolidates the CEO and board chair roles under Chell while retaining Larson on the board.
Positive
- Cameron Chell promoted to Executive Chairman effective Jan 20, 2026
- Chell has served as CEO since August 2019, providing leadership continuity
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, DPRO declined 1.77%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +19.1% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -7.6% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 37 alerts that day, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $5M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $272M at that time. Trading volume was elevated at 2.1x the daily average, suggesting increased selling activity.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Ahead of this leadership change, DPRO was up 2.68% while key peers like VWAV (-11.97%), HOVR (-10.42%), OPXS (-5.06%) and CODA (-1.39%) were down, indicating a stock-specific move rather than a sector-wide pattern.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13 | SAR deployment | Positive | +1.0% | Drones deployed with Search and Rescue Sweden using integrated ARTEMIS systems. |
| Jan 12 | Conference appearance | Positive | +2.4% | CEO presentation and investor meetings at Needham Growth Conference. |
| Dec 08 | Defense collaboration | Positive | -2.0% | Framework to explore multi-company defense and security initiatives in Asia-Pacific. |
| Nov 20 | Military order | Positive | +2.1% | Strategic international military order for Commander 3XL drone systems. |
| Nov 18 | Border demo | Positive | +3.6% | Outrider Border Drone demonstration with U.S. law enforcement on southern border. |
Recent operational and business-development news has generally coincided with modestly positive price reactions, with one collaboration headline seeing a negative move.
Over the past few months, Draganfly has reported a series of operational and strategic milestones. On Nov 18–20, 2025, it highlighted a border-security demonstration and a strategic international military order for the Commander 3XL, with 24-hour moves of 3.58% and 2.10%. A December 2025 defense collaboration update saw a -1.96% reaction despite constructive positioning. In January 2026, a conference appearance and SAR Sweden deployment produced gains of 2.42% and 1.03%. Today’s governance change fits into an ongoing narrative of active commercial and investor engagement.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement centers on governance, with the CEO becoming Executive Chairman while remaining on the Board, and continuity highlighted by his role since August 2019. Recent news flow has focused on operational deployments, defense collaborations, and conference participation, which previously coincided with modest price moves. Investors monitoring this leadership shift may also track future contract wins, international defense progress, and follow-up regulatory filings for indications of strategic execution.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8A) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an award-winning, industry-leading drone solutions and systems developer, is pleased to announce that Cameron Chell, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, has been appointed Executive Chairman of the board of the directors (the “Board”), replacing Mr. Scott Larson, who will continue serving as a member of the Board. Mr. Chell has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Company since August 2019.
“On behalf of the Board and the Company’s senior leadership team, I would like to thank Scott Larson for his hard work and dedication as the Chair of the Board over the past several years." said Mr. Chell.
About Draganfly
Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8A) is the creator of quality, cutting-edge drone solutions, software, and AI systems that revolutionize the way organizations can do business and service their stakeholders. Recognized as being at the forefront of technology for over 25 years, Draganfly is an award-winning industry leader serving public safety, public health, mining, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying markets. Draganfly is a company driven by passion, ingenuity, and the need to provide efficient solutions and first-class services to its customers around the world with the goal of saving time, money, and lives.
Media Contact
Erika Racicot
Email: media@draganfly.com
Company Contact
Email: info@draganfly.com
FAQ
Who was named Executive Chairman of Draganfly (DPRO) on January 20, 2026?
What role will Scott Larson have after the January 20, 2026 Draganfly board change?
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Does the Draganfly (DPRO) announcement combine the CEO and chairman roles?
When was the Draganfly (DPRO) executive chair appointment announced?
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