ZenaTech’s ZenaDrone Advances Precision Agriculture Solutions with Initial Prototype and Start of Testing of IQ Octo Designed for Autonomous Drone-Based Spraying and Seeding

ZenaTech’s ZenaDrone unit has built a prototype IQ Octo agriculture drone and plans near-term field testing in Arizona.

Rhea-AI Summary

ZenaTech (ZENA) announced that subsidiary ZenaDrone has completed the initial Version 1 prototype of the IQ Octo, an eight‑motor autonomous drone designed for precision spraying and seeding via Drone as a Service. Field testing of IQ Octo Version 1 is expected to begin at the company’s Arizona facility in the coming weeks.

The medium‑sized, battery‑powered octocopter is designed for flight times of approximately 20–25 minutes per charge and to carry payloads of up to 25 kilograms of seeds or liquid. Depending on mission requirements, it can be configured with either a liquid tank and spray nozzles or a seed hopper with a spreader, following programmed low‑altitude flight paths to apply treatments or distribute seeds at controlled rates with even coverage.

A planned Version 2 is expected to add solar panel maintenance capabilities, swarm operation, automated refilling, and a folding design. ZenaTech positions the IQ Octo as an expansion of its IQ Series and Drone as a Service offerings for agriculture and, in future versions, solar maintenance, and plans to provide further updates as development and testing milestones are reached.

Market reaction after precision agriculture prototype: ZENA +3.96%

+3.96% $1.71

15m delay

+3.96% Vs previous close

$1.71 Last Price

$1.63 $1.78 Day Range

$151.55M Market Cap

0.8x Rel. Volume

Following this news, ZENA has gained 3.96%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Our momentum scanner has triggered 16 alerts so far, indicating notable trading interest and price volatility. The stock is currently trading at $1.71.

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Market Context

The August 27 precision-agriculture award announcement was followed by a 5.62% 24-hour gain, providi...

Analysis

The August 27 precision-agriculture award announcement was followed by a 5.62% 24-hour gain, providing a historical comparator for this prototype update. Moderate short positioning and the effective F-3/A shelf through February 23, 2029, are relevant risk factors.

Key Figures

Prototype version: Version 1 Drone motors: 8 motors Flight duration: 20 to 25 minutes per charge +3 more

6 metrics

Prototype version Version 1 Initial IQ Octo prototype

Drone motors 8 motors IQ Octo octocopter design

Flight duration 20 to 25 minutes per charge IQ Octo Version 1

Payload capacity Up to 25 kilograms Seeds or liquid

Market growth Over 30% annual growth Precision agriculture over the next five years

Future platform version Version 2 Planned solar maintenance and additional capabilities

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Aug 27 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Aug 27	agriculture award	Positive	+5.6%	ZenaDrone received an AgTech Breakthrough Award for precision agriculture solutions.
Aug 25	software acquisition	Positive	+2.2%	ESM Software acquisition added users, recurring revenue, and a thirteenth SaaS brand.
Aug 20	DaaS acquisition	Positive	-4.5%	Cogswell Engineering acquisition expanded Canadian drone-enabled engineering and surveying capabilities.
Aug 17	tariff update	Positive	-4.2%	Management highlighted potential competitive benefits from new U.S. drone tariffs.
Aug 13	software expansion	Positive	+12.1%	ZenaWorx added digital terrain modeling and secured its first AI data-center customer.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Three of the five comparable recent announcements aligned with positive price reactions, while two positive announcements diverged.

Key Terms

precision agriculture, drone as a service, octocopter, machine learning

4 terms

precision agriculture technical

"planned precision agriculture and solar maintenance applications"

Precision agriculture uses sensors, satellite maps, weather data and automated equipment to manage crops and livestock more exactly — applying water, fertilizer and treatments only where and when they are needed. For investors it matters because this data-driven approach can lower costs, boost yields and make farming more predictable and scalable, much like a GPS and health tracker that optimizes a route and fitness plan for better results.

drone as a service financial

"precision spraying and seeding via Drone as a Service"

Drone as a service (DaaS) is a business model where companies provide drone flights, sensors, data collection and analysis on a subscription or contract basis instead of selling the aircraft outright. For investors it matters because DaaS can create recurring revenue and scalable service margins like a rented contractor or utility, while concentrating risks around regulation, data security and operational reliability that can affect future cash flow and growth.

octocopter technical

"built on an octocopter design with eight motors"

An octocopter is a type of multirotor unmanned aircraft (drone) that uses eight separate rotors and motors for lift, stability, and control. Because the multiple rotors give greater payload capacity and redundancy—similar to a vehicle with several engines so it can keep operating if one fails—octocopters matter to investors when companies report product lines, operational uses, safety records, regulatory approvals, or contract wins in sectors like logistics, surveying, film, or public safety.

machine learning technical

"solutions integrating machine learning, predictive analytics"

Machine learning is a set of computer programs that learn patterns from large amounts of data and improve their predictions or decisions over time, like a recipe that gets better each time it’s adjusted based on taste tests. For investors it matters because these systems can speed up analysis, spot trends or risks humans might miss, automate routine work, and potentially create competitive advantages or cost savings that affect a company’s performance.

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Medium-sized, eight-motor autonomous drone joins the IQ Series and ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service for planned precision agriculture and solar maintenance applications

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology solution provider specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that its ZenaDrone subsidiary has completed an initial Version 1 prototype of the IQ Octo, its new autonomous drone purpose-built for precision spraying and seeding via Drone as a Service. The IQ Octo is designed to precisely apply fertilizers and crop-protection products and to distribute seeds, helping farmers reduce input costs, avoid crop damage and soil compaction, access difficult terrain, and improve the efficiency of planting and treatment operations. The IQ Octo Version 1 is expected to begin field testing at the company’s Arizona facility in the coming weeks.

“Precision agriculture is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the drone industry, with market analysts predicting over 30% annual growth over the next five years,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech. “Extending our ZenaDrone IQ Series into autonomous spraying and seeding positions our Drone as a Service business to capture a meaningful share of this expanding market. We believe the new IQ Octo, and the recurring service and data opportunities it can create, represents a compelling long-term value driver for both future customers and our shareholders as we continue to diversify our autonomous drone and services portfolio.”

The IQ Octo Version 1 is a medium-sized autonomous drone built on an octocopter design with eight motors, part of ZenaDrone’s growing IQ Series. Battery powered, it is designed to fly for approximately 20 to 25 minutes per charge and to carry a payload of up to 25 kilograms of seeds or liquid. In addition to spraying and seeding, the platform’s Version 2 is expected to support solar panel maintenance applications, swarm capability, automated refilling, and a folding design. Depending on the mission, the agricultural configuration will either carry a liquid tank equipped with spray nozzles, or a hopper with a spreader for seeds. Following a programmed flight path, the drone is designed to fly low over fields and automatically apply liquid treatments or distribute seeds at controlled rates with even coverage.

Farmers use drones for spraying and seeding because they can apply products precisely where and when they are needed, including in wet fields, difficult terrain, and areas with standing crops. This can reduce chemical, seed, water, fuel, and labor requirements; prevent soil compaction and crop damage from heavy machinery; improve worker safety; and enable faster, more targeted treatment as part of a broader precision agriculture system.

The Company will provide further updates as additional development and testing milestones for the IQ Octo are achieved.

About ZenaTech

ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) is a technology company that specializes in AI autonomy drone platforms to transform commercial, government, and defense sectors. Its subsidiaries include drone manufacturing through ZenaDrone, a global Drone as a Service (DaaS) business, and an enterprise SaaS division of software brands. The Company is executing an acquisition-led DaaS roll-up strategy to digitize and automate legacy service industries like land surveys and inspections, driving drone-based scalable, recurring revenue growth. With an operating footprint spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, ZenaTech is advancing AI drones for applications such as agriculture and logistics, as well as ISR, cargo, and counter-UAS for U.S. defense and NATO allies. The company is investing in next-generation technologies, including drone swarms, quantum computing, and advanced AI autonomy to capture long-term opportunities in key markets through its R&D initiatives.

About ZenaDrone

ZenaDrone, a subsidiary of ZenaTech, develops and manufactures AI-powered multifunction autonomous drone solutions integrating machine learning, predictive analytics, and advanced computing technologies, for government, defense, and industrial applications. This includes multifunctional drones for surveying, inspections, logistics, security, and defense applications. Its product portfolio under development includes the ZenaDrone 1000 for ISR defense and specialized cargo, the IQ Nano for indoor inventory management and security, the IQ Square for outdoor inspections and maintenance, the IQ Quad for land surveying, the IQ Aqua, for underwater applications, and the IQ Octo for precision agriculture. ZenaDrone operates three global manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Dubai, and Taiwan, and is advancing counter-UAS maritime interceptor drones and an integrated defense system.

Contacts for more information:

Company, Investors and Media:
Linda Montgomery
ZenaTech
312-241-1415
Investors:
Michael Mason
CORE IR
investors@zenatech.com

Safe Harbor

This press release and related comments by management of ZenaTech, Inc. include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws and applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance of ZenaTech and reflects management’s expectations and projections regarding ZenaTech’s growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “aim”, “seek”, “is/are likely to”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information in this document includes, but is not limited to ZenaTech’s expectations regarding its revenue, expenses, production, operations, costs, cash flows, and future growth; expectations with respect to future production costs and capacity; ZenaTech's ability to deliver products to the market as currently contemplated, including its drone products including ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Nano, IQ Square, IQ Quad, IQ Aqua, IQ Octo, IQ Glider, IQ Sphere, ZenaDrone 2000, Interceptor P-1 ; ZenaTech’s anticipated cash needs and it’s needs for additional financing; ZenaTech’s intention to grow the business and its operations and execution risk; expectations with respect to future operations and costs; the volatility of stock prices and market conditions in the industries in which ZenaTech operates; political, economic, environmental, tax, security, and other risks associated with operating in emerging markets; regulatory risks; unfavorable publicity or consumer perception; difficulty in forecasting industry trends; the ability to hire key personnel; the competitive conditions of the industry and the competitive and business strategies of ZenaTech; ZenaTech’s expected business objectives for the next twelve months; ZenaTech’s ability to obtain additional funds through the sale of equity or debt commitments; investment capital and market share; the ability to complete any contemplated acquisitions; changes in the target markets; market uncertainty; ability to access additional capital, including through the listing of its securities in various jurisdictions; management of growth (plans and timing for expansion); patent infringement; litigation; applicable laws, regulations, and any amendments affecting the business of ZenaTech. 

FAQ

What did ZenaTech (ZENA) announce about the IQ Octo drone?

ZenaTech announced that its ZenaDrone subsidiary has completed the initial Version 1 prototype of the IQ Octo, an autonomous, eight‑motor drone designed for precision spraying and seeding via Drone as a Service. Field testing is expected to start soon at its Arizona facility.

What are the key specifications of the ZenaTech IQ Octo agriculture drone?

The IQ Octo Version 1 is a medium‑sized, battery‑powered octocopter with eight motors, designed to fly for about 20–25 minutes per charge and carry up to 25 kilograms of seeds or liquid. It can operate with either a liquid spray tank or a seed hopper configuration.

How is the IQ Octo drone from ZenaTech (ZENA) intended to be used in precision agriculture?

The IQ Octo is designed to follow programmed low‑altitude flight paths to apply fertilizers and crop‑protection products or distribute seeds at controlled rates with even coverage. The company states it aims to help farmers reduce input costs, limit soil compaction, access difficult terrain, and improve planting and treatment efficiency.

When will ZenaTech begin testing the IQ Octo autonomous drone?

ZenaTech expects IQ Octo Version 1 field testing to begin at its Arizona facility in the coming weeks. The company plans to provide further updates as additional development and testing milestones are achieved.

What features are planned for Version 2 of ZenaTech’s IQ Octo drone?

For Version 2, the company expects the IQ Octo platform to support solar panel maintenance applications, swarm capability, automated refilling, and a folding design. These planned features are intended to broaden use beyond agriculture into solar maintenance scenarios.

How does the IQ Octo fit into ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service strategy?

The IQ Octo joins ZenaDrone’s growing IQ Series and is designed for precision agriculture services delivered via Drone as a Service. ZenaTech indicates that this platform may create recurring service and data opportunities and further diversify its autonomous drone and services portfolio.