ZenaTech Expands ZenaDrone Team by 35 Engineers and Technicians to Meet Drone Production Manufacturing Capacity
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) announces a significant expansion of its ZenaDrone team, adding 35 new engineers and technicians to support drone production manufacturing capacity. The expansion includes 15 current hires and 20 more expected within two months.
The manufacturing will take place at the company's 10,000-foot facility in Sharjah, UAE, handling prototype development, assembly, flight testing, and quality control. The new team includes specialists in mechanical, avionic, electrical, and electronics engineering.
The company's product line includes:
- ZenaDrone 1000: An autonomous military-grade drone with heavy lift capabilities, previously tested by US Air Force and Navy Reserve
- ZenaDrone IQ Square: A commercial outdoor drone with 20-minute flight time and 7kg payload capacity
- ZenaDrone IQ Nano: An indoor inspection drone available in 10x10-inch or 20x20-inch models, featuring 20-minute flight time
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) annuncia un'importante espansione del suo team ZenaDrone, aggiungendo 35 nuovi ingegneri e tecnici per supportare la capacità di produzione dei droni. L'espansione include 15 assunzioni attuali e altre 20 previste entro due mesi.
La produzione avverrà presso la struttura di 10.000 piedi quadrati a Sharjah, negli Emirati Arabi Uniti, occupandosi dello sviluppo di prototipi, assemblaggio, test di volo e controllo qualità. Il nuovo team comprende specialisti in ingegneria meccanica, avionica, elettrica ed elettronica.
La linea di prodotti dell'azienda include:
- ZenaDrone 1000: Un drone militare autonomo con capacità di sollevamento pesante, precedentemente testato dalla US Air Force e dalla Navy Reserve
- ZenaDrone IQ Square: Un drone commerciale per uso esterno con un tempo di volo di 20 minuti e una capacità di carico di 7 kg
- ZenaDrone IQ Nano: Un drone per ispezioni interne disponibile in modelli da 10x10 pollici o 20x20 pollici, con un tempo di volo di 20 minuti
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) anuncia una expansión significativa de su equipo ZenaDrone, añadiendo 35 nuevos ingenieros y técnicos para apoyar la capacidad de producción de drones. La expansión incluye 15 contrataciones actuales y se esperan 20 más en los próximos dos meses.
La fabricación se llevará a cabo en las instalaciones de 10,000 pies cuadrados en Sharjah, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, encargándose del desarrollo de prototipos, ensamblaje, pruebas de vuelo y control de calidad. El nuevo equipo incluye especialistas en ingeniería mecánica, avionica, eléctrica y electrónica.
La línea de productos de la empresa incluye:
- ZenaDrone 1000: Un dron militar autónomo con capacidades de carga pesada, previamente probado por la Fuerza Aérea de EE. UU. y la Reserva Naval
- ZenaDrone IQ Square: Un dron comercial para exteriores con un tiempo de vuelo de 20 minutos y capacidad de carga de 7 kg
- ZenaDrone IQ Nano: Un dron de inspección interior disponible en modelos de 10x10 pulgadas o 20x20 pulgadas, con un tiempo de vuelo de 20 minutos
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA)는 드론 생산 능력을 지원하기 위해 ZenaDrone 팀을 35명의 새로운 엔지니어와 기술자로 확장한다고 발표했습니다. 이번 확장은 현재 15명의 채용과 향후 2개월 내에 20명의 추가 채용을 포함합니다.
제조는 아랍에미리트 샤르자에 위치한 10,000평방피트 시설에서 진행되며, 프로토타입 개발, 조립, 비행 테스트 및 품질 관리를 담당합니다. 새로운 팀은 기계, 항공전자, 전기 및 전자 공학 분야의 전문가들로 구성되어 있습니다.
회사의 제품 라인에는 다음이 포함됩니다:
- ZenaDrone 1000: 미군의 테스트를 받은 자율 군사용 드론으로, 중량물 운반 능력을 갖추고 있습니다.
- ZenaDrone IQ Square: 20분 비행 시간과 7kg의 하중 용량을 가진 상업용 야외 드론입니다.
- ZenaDrone IQ Nano: 10x10인치 또는 20x20인치 모델로 제공되는 실내 검사 드론으로, 20분 비행 시간을 특징으로 합니다.
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) annonce une expansion significative de son équipe ZenaDrone, ajoutant 35 nouveaux ingénieurs et techniciens pour soutenir la capacité de production de drones. L'expansion comprend 15 recrutements actuels et 20 autres prévus dans les deux mois à venir.
La fabrication aura lieu dans l'installation de 10 000 pieds carrés à Sharjah, Émirats Arabes Unis, s'occupant du développement de prototypes, de l'assemblage, des tests de vol et du contrôle qualité. La nouvelle équipe comprend des spécialistes en ingénierie mécanique, avionique, électrique et électronique.
La gamme de produits de l'entreprise comprend:
- ZenaDrone 1000: Un drone autonome de qualité militaire avec des capacités de levage lourdes, précédemment testé par l'US Air Force et la Navy Reserve.
- ZenaDrone IQ Square: Un drone commercial d'extérieur avec un temps de vol de 20 minutes et une capacité de charge de 7 kg.
- ZenaDrone IQ Nano: Un drone d'inspection intérieure disponible en modèles de 10x10 pouces ou 20x20 pouces, avec un temps de vol de 20 minutes.
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) kündigt eine bedeutende Erweiterung seines ZenaDrone-Teams an und fügt 35 neue Ingenieure und Techniker hinzu, um die Produktionskapazität von Drohnen zu unterstützen. Die Erweiterung umfasst 15 derzeitige Einstellungen und 20 weitere, die in den nächsten zwei Monaten erwartet werden.
Die Produktion findet in der 10.000 Quadratfuß großen Anlage in Sharjah, VAE statt, die für die Entwicklung von Prototypen, Montage, Flugtests und Qualitätskontrolle zuständig ist. Das neue Team besteht aus Spezialisten in den Bereichen Maschinenbau, Avionik, Elektrotechnik und Elektronik.
Die Produktlinie des Unternehmens umfasst:
- ZenaDrone 1000: Eine autonome Militärdrohne mit schweren Hebefähigkeiten, die zuvor von der US Air Force und der Navy Reserve getestet wurde.
- ZenaDrone IQ Square: Eine kommerzielle Außen-Drohne mit einer Flugzeit von 20 Minuten und einer Tragfähigkeit von 7 kg.
- ZenaDrone IQ Nano: Eine Inneninspektionsdrohne, die in den Modellen 10x10 Zoll oder 20x20 Zoll erhältlich ist und über eine Flugzeit von 20 Minuten verfügt.
- Significant production capacity expansion with 35 new specialized hires
- Established manufacturing facility in UAE with full production capabilities
- Successful completion of paid trials with US Air Force and Navy Reserve
- Diverse product portfolio addressing multiple market segments (military, commercial, indoor)
- Manufacturing facility expansion and hiring may increase operational costs
- 20 of 35 planned hires still pending, indicating potential delays in reaching full production capacity
Insights
ZenaTech's expansion of its drone engineering team by 35 specialists represents a critical operational milestone that transforms the company from a development-stage entity to a production-focused manufacturer. This staffing investment signals the company is executing on its commercialization roadmap for the ZenaDrone product line.
The company's 10,000-square-foot UAE facility appears adequately sized for initial production operations, though scaling beyond initial volumes would likely require additional capacity. The phased onboarding approach (15 personnel already hired, 20 more within two months) demonstrates a methodical expansion aligned with production capacity requirements.
Most significantly, this expansion follows completed paid trials with the US Air Force and Navy Reserve, suggesting potential pathways to defense contracts. The defense sector represents a high-value market segment with multi-year procurement cycles and premium pricing for specialized capabilities.
The specified drone models target distinct market segments: heavy-duty logistics (ZenaDrone 1000), commercial/defense inspection (IQ Square), and indoor industrial automation (IQ Nano). This diversified product portfolio mitigates market risk while leveraging core technology investments across multiple applications.
From an operational perspective, the transition from prototype to production represents the most challenging phase for hardware technology companies. The successful execution of this manufacturing ramp will be important for ZenaTech to validate its business model and begin generating meaningful revenue from its technology investments.
The expansion of ZenaTech's engineering team specifically to support production represents an important inflection point in the company's development. Their focus on military and industrial applications positions them in high-value segments of the drone market.
The ZenaDrone 1000's completed paid trials with both US Air Force and Navy Reserve for logistics applications is particularly noteworthy. Defense logistics, especially for critical cargo like blood transport in field operations, represents a specialized use case where reliability and performance command premium pricing. These paid trials suggest the technology has demonstrated sufficient capability to warrant further evaluation by military stakeholders.
The technical specifications outlined for the IQ Square - 7kg payload capacity and 20-minute flight time with autonomous recharging - are competitive for its class, especially with the VTOL capabilities that increase deployment flexibility. The military applications for reconnaissance align with current defense priorities for unmanned systems that reduce personnel risk.
For the indoor IQ Nano drone, the warehouse inspection and inventory management capabilities address growing automation demands in logistics operations. The autonomous battery management and safety features indicate design maturity necessary for commercial deployment.
This manufacturing expansion shows ZenaTech is positioning itself beyond the technology demonstration phase that many drone startups never escape. The multi-disciplinary engineering team expansion covering mechanical, avionic, electrical, and electronics specializations demonstrates a comprehensive approach to production challenges. However, the timeline to significant defense procurement remains uncertain, as military acquisition cycles typically extend 12-36 months beyond successful trials.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 13, 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 today that its subsidiary ZenaDrone is expanding its team of drone engineers, technicians, and R&D engineers by adding 35 new hires to meet production line and capability requirements for the manufacturing of its drone products.
“As we transition from the prototype stages to full-scale production of our drones, we are adding qualified engineering, manufacturing and technical talent to commence and accelerate full-scale manufacturing and assembly. Expanding our production line capacity by adding these resources is a critical step in delivering our drones to market efficiently while meeting our monthly production goals,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.
The ZenaDrone 1000 and IQ series of drones will be manufactured in the company’s 10,000-foot manufacturing facility in Sharjah, UAE where prototype and R&D development, drone assembly, flight testing, and quality control functions also take place. ZenaDrone’s engineers include multi-disciplinary area backgrounds including mechanical, avionic, electrical and electronics specializations. Drone technicians have manufacturing or drone industry backgrounds and are specialists in a variety of assembly line production, flight testing, and quality control areas. Of the new team members, 15 have joined the company already and an additional 20 are expected to be onboard over the next one to two months.
The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous multifunction drone offering stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities, innovative software technology, sensors, AI, and purpose-built attachments, along with compact and rugged hardware engineered for military and industrial use. The company previously completed two paid trials with the US Air Force and the US Navy Reserve for logistics and transportation applications carrying critical cargo, such as blood, in the field.
The ZenaDrone IQ Square is an outdoor drone designed to be an advanced AI multifunction drone designed for commercial inspections, land surveys and other outdoor applications, and for the defense sector for various inspections and reconnaissance missions. Equipped with state-of-the-art cameras and sensors, the IQ Square offers a flight time of approximately 20 minutes when used with its autonomous recharging pad and can carry a payload of up to seven kilograms. With a footprint of 41X41 inches, the VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing), drone features retractable landing gear for enhanced functionality and adaptability.
The ZenaDrone IQ Nano is an indoor drone and comes in 10x10-inch or 20X20-inch models, designed to perform regular and frequent inspections such as bar code or RFID scanning, facility maintenance inspections, security monitoring, 3D indoor mapping inside a warehouse, distribution, or plant facility. The IQ Nano is designed for autonomous use featuring integrated sensors, high-quality cameras, and data collection and analysis. Weighing 1.5kg and with a flight time of up to 20 minutes before utilizing the automatic battery charging station, it is designed for hovering stability and for safety with obstacle avoidance capabilities.
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 in the warehouse and logistics sectors, and the IQ Square is an 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
How many new engineers and technicians is ZenaTech (ZENA) adding to its drone production team?
What is the payload capacity and flight time of the ZenaDrone IQ Square?
Where will ZenaTech (ZENA) manufacture its drone products?
Which military organizations have tested ZenaTech's (ZENA) drone technology?
What are the specifications of the ZenaDrone IQ Nano indoor drone?
