ZenaTech’s ZenaDrone Granted FAA Part 137 Approval for Agricultural Drone Operations Addressing a $6 Billion Global Agricultural Drone Market Growing to $24 Billion by 2032

Rhea-AI Summary

ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) announces its subsidiary ZenaDrone has received FAA Part 137 approval for commercial agricultural drone operations. This certification enables final testing and deployment of the ZenaDrone 1000 for aerial spraying of agricultural materials through their Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model.

The ZenaDrone 1000 is a VTOL quadcopter measuring 12x7 feet with eight rotors and 40-kilo lift capacity. The drone will be used for spraying pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and seeds, offering more precise and cost-effective alternatives to traditional farming methods.

The company plans to initially deploy in the US, followed by Ireland. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global agriculture drone market is expected to grow from $6.10 billion in 2024 to $23.78 billion by 2032, at an 18.5% CAGR.

Positive

• Obtained important FAA Part 137 approval enabling commercial agricultural operations
• Large addressable market with projected growth from $6.1B to $23.78B by 2032
• Versatile revenue model combining direct sales and subscription-based DaaS
• Advanced drone capabilities with 40kg payload capacity for multiple agricultural applications

Negative

• Still in final testing phase before full commercial deployment
• Faces competition in rapidly growing market
• Geographic expansion to US and Ireland initially

Insights

Drone Technology Expert

FAA Part 137 approval enables ZenaTech to commercialize agricultural drone operations in a rapidly growing market with significant revenue potential.

The FAA Part 137 approval marks a crucial regulatory milestone for ZenaDrone that removes a significant market entry barrier. This certification isn't easily obtained and specifically authorizes the company to conduct commercial agricultural operations including aerial application of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and seeds. With final testing now permitted, ZenaDrone can advance toward full commercial deployment of its flagship product.

The ZenaDrone 1000 specifications are technically impressive - a VTOL quadcopter design featuring eight rotors on fixed wings, substantial 12×7 foot dimensions, and a 40 kilogram payload capacity that significantly exceeds consumer-grade drones. This lift capability is essential for meaningful agricultural applications where chemical/seed volume determines coverage efficiency. The foldable wing design enabling transport in standard trucks demonstrates practical field-operation considerations.

ZenaTech's dual go-to-market strategy is particularly noteworthy. By offering both Drone as a Service (DaaS) options and direct hardware sales, they're addressing different market segments - smaller operations that prefer operational expenses over capital investments, and larger commercial farms with resources to purchase equipment outright. This flexibility maximizes market penetration opportunities while creating potential for both recurring subscription revenue and higher-value direct sales.

Agricultural Technology Analyst

ZenaTech's FAA approval unlocks entry to a projected $23.78B agricultural drone market with dual revenue streams through service and direct sales models.

This regulatory clearance positions ZenaTech to capitalize on the significant growth trajectory in agricultural drone applications, projected by Fortune Business Insights to expand from $6.10 billion in 2024 to $23.78 billion by 2032 at a 18.5% CAGR. The market expansion is driven by multiple converging factors: increasing precision agriculture adoption, technological advancements, cost-effectiveness compared to traditional methods, supportive government policies, and growing industry awareness.

The ZenaDrone 1000's technical capabilities directly address critical agricultural pain points. Its precision application technology enables targeted distribution of chemicals and seeds, reducing waste and environmental impact while potentially improving crop yields. The 40kg payload capacity is particularly valuable for agricultural operations where coverage area per flight directly impacts operational efficiency.

The company's phased geographic deployment strategy - beginning with US markets before expanding to Ireland where they've conducted development work - demonstrates a methodical approach to market entry. This staged rollout allows for optimization of operations and service delivery before broader expansion. The "Uber-like" DaaS business model creates accessibility for smaller operations that might otherwise find drone technology prohibitively expensive, while direct sales to larger enterprises provides an alternative revenue stream for customers with sufficient scale to justify ownership.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech"), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces its subsidiary ZenaDrone has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct commercial agricultural operations under the rules and regulations of 14 CFR Part 137 for crop spraying and precision agriculture. This approval allows ZenaDrone to commence final testing and deployment of the ZenaDrone 1000 drone for aerial spraying of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and seeds for agricultural, environmental and government customers. The company plans to sell these solutions through its Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business model as well as selling the drone hardware and solution directly to larger commercial farms, agribusinesses, and cooperatives.

“FAA part 137 approval now enables our team to finish final testing and commence sales of our agriculture solutions. Drones offer a more precise, efficient, cost effective and safer alternative to traditional methods while reducing chemical use, crop damage, and manual work, as well as being able to reach hard-to-access areas. We plan, test, then deploy our solutions through our DaaS model in the US first, followed by Ireland where we have a history of pioneering development work in agricultural drones,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

According to Fortune Business Insights the global agriculture drone market is projected to grow from USD 6.10 billion in 2024 to USD 23.78 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5%. This growth reflects a growing demand for precision agriculture, advances in drone technology, cost-effectiveness, government support and incentive programs, and growing awareness and education.

The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous drone, in a VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) quadcopter design with a total of eight rotors on its two fixed wings; it is considered a medium-sized drone measuring 12X7 feet in size. It is designed for stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities up to 40 kilos, incorporating innovative software technology, AI, sensors, and purpose-built attachments like crop spraying, along with rugged and compact hardware featuring foldable wings enabling the drone to fit into the back of a truck.

ZenaTech’s DaaS business will incorporate the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series of multifunction autonomous drones to provide a variety of service solutions from land surveys to power line inspections or power washing, made accessible and cost effective through an Uber-like business model on a regular subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving superior results, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or precision farming applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves.

About ZenaTech

ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) is a technology company specializing in AI drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions for mission-critical business applications. Since 2017, the Company has leveraged its software development expertise and grown its drone design and manufacturing capabilities through ZenaDrone, to innovate and improve customer inspection, monitoring, safety, security, compliance, and surveying processes. With enterprise software customers using branded solutions in law enforcement, health, government, and industrial sectors, and drones being implemented in these plus agriculture, defense, and logistics sectors, ZenaTech’s portfolio of solutions helps drive exceptional operational efficiencies, accuracy, and cost savings. The Company operates through seven global offices in North America, Europe, Taiwan, and UAE, and is growing a DaaS business model and global partner network.

About ZenaDrone  

ZenaDrone, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZenaTech, develops and manufactures autonomous business drone solutions that can incorporate machine learning software, AI, predictive modeling, Quantum Computing, and other software and hardware innovations. Created to revolutionize the hemp farming sector, its specialization has grown to multifunctional drone solutions for industrial surveillance, monitoring, inspection, tracking, process automation and defense applications. Currently, the ZenaDrone 1000 drone is used for crop management applications in agriculture and critical field cargo applications in the defense sector, the IQ Nano indoor drone is used for inventory management and security in the warehouse and logistics sectors, and the IQ Square is an indoor/outdoor drone designed for land survey and inspections use in commercial and defense sectors.

Contacts for more information:

Company, Investors and Media:

Linda Montgomery

ZenaTech

312-241-1415

investors@zenatech.com

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 and IQ Nano; 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 capabilities does the ZenaDrone 1000 offer for agricultural operations?

The ZenaDrone 1000 can carry up to 40 kilos and perform aerial spraying of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and seeds. It features AI technology, sensors, and specialized attachments for precision agriculture.

How will ZenaTech's Drone as a Service (DaaS) model work for agricultural customers?

The DaaS model offers subscription-based or pay-per-use access to drone services, allowing customers to utilize agricultural drone solutions without purchasing or maintaining the equipment themselves.

What is the significance of FAA Part 137 approval for ZENA's agricultural operations?

The FAA Part 137 approval allows ZenaTech to legally conduct commercial agricultural operations, including crop spraying and precision agriculture services in the United States.

What is the market potential for agricultural drones according to ZENA's announcement?

The global agricultural drone market is projected to grow from $6.10 billion in 2024 to $23.78 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 18.5%.