Distributed on behalf of ZenaTech
The drone industry is just starting to take off, creating a unique opportunity for ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA), AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV), Leonardo DRS (NASDAQ: DRS), Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ: ONDS), and Red Cat Holdings (NASDAQ: RCAT).
That’s because drones are quickly becoming an essential tool for the U.S. government, and multi-billion-dollar businesses involved in energy (such as solar), defense, construction, logistics, agriculture, oil and gas, public security and even deliveries.
All of which creating a potentially massive $355.55 billion Drone as a Service (DaaS) market, which is beneficial for DaaS companies, such as ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA).
We should also note that ZenaTech is the only company actively building a U.S. and global network by acquisition, of legacy and low tech service businesses and their customers to provide drone-based land surveys, inspections, maintenance, precision agriculture, power washing and more for business and government clients.
Creating More Opportunity, ZenaTech Just Closed the Acquisition of Vara 3D, a Utah-Based Surveying and Mapping Firm Expanding Drone-as-a-Service to the High-Growth Solar Infrastructure Market
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) has been actively acquiring established, profitable service companies currently using low tech processes ripe for drone innovation. The company is also building a global, multi-service DaaS network of locations anchored by existing customers and revenue. One of its recent acquisitions was Vara 3D Inc., a well-established Salt Lake City-area surveying and 3D mapping company.
Vara 3D serves clients across Utah with a strong footprint in California’s solar energy ecosystem. This acquisition marks the expansion of ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service business into the high-growth solar infrastructure market and provides a foundation to expand drone-enabled offerings to speed up new site planning and ongoing inspections and maintenance.
As noted by Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO, “Closing the acquisition of Vara 3D both expands our service capabilities and accelerates entry into a high-growth market with significant long-term potential. Drones are fundamentally reshaping how solar infrastructure is inspected and maintained.”
“By combining high-resolution imaging, advanced analytics, and autonomous flight, we can detect issues across hundreds of acres in minutes—not days—unlocking massive gains in efficiency, safety, and energy output for operators. As solar farms scale to hundreds of megawatts and aging assets require more frequent monitoring, the demand for fast, data-rich, and cost-effective inspection solutions is poised to accelerate,” he added.
Located in Murray, Utah, in the Salt Lake City metro area, Vara 3D specializes in commercial, residential, and solar energy firm projects with a broad base of recurring clients. Their services include land surveying, 3D mapping, and construction staking, as well as commercial and utility-scale solar facility and solar array planning. Following the acquisition, Management plans to expand offerings to include drone-based solar panel inspection, maintenance and washing.
Other related developments from around the markets include:
AeroVironment, a leading provider of underwater robotic systems, announced it has been awarded a $4.8 million United States Coast Guard contract through its wholly owned subsidiary, VideoRay, to deliver Mission Specialist Defender remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) as part of the Service’s Force Design 2028 modernization initiative. The Defender will enhance the Coast Guard’s maritime response capabilities by enabling rapid underwater inspections, pier inspections, hull assessments, subsurface infrastructure surveys, disaster response and search and rescue operations in challenging environments—reducing diver risk while increasing mission safety, operational efficiency, and fleet readiness. “The selection of the Mission Specialist Defender reinforces our ability to deliver proven technology to address the most demanding defense and security missions,” said Chris Gibson, Chief Executive Officer at VideoRay. “Customers have come to depend on VideoRay when failure is not an option. As AV’s maritime pillar, we’re proud to contribute to the organization’s all-domain uncrewed systems strategy to ensure the safety and security of our forces.”
Leonardo DRS announced the successful first on-orbit test of its revolutionary multi-channel software-defined radio (SDR) with integrated advanced cryptography. This milestone marks a significant advance in validating a technology poised to establish a new standard for secure U.S. military satellite data transport at the tactical edge. The eXtended Crypto Module3-Space (XCM3-Space) adapts the company’s next-generation crypto and multi-channel SDR capabilities to the space domain, addressing emerging cyber and electronic warfare threats to military satellite data transport. Leveraging deep expertise in multi-domain secure tactical communications, Leonardo DRS developed this capability to enable high-performance secure satellite communications across multiple frequencies and networks simultaneously.
Ondas Holdings, a leading provider of autonomous aerial and ground robot intelligence through its Ondas Autonomous Systems business unit and private wireless solutions through Ondas Networks, announced its intent to invest up to $11 million in Drone Fight Group (DFG), a Ukrainian developer of advanced unmanned aerial systems. This investment-to be executed through the Company's strategic advisory and investment platform, Ondas Capital-represents Ondas' first planned capital deployment in support of battle-tested Ukrainian defense technologies. DFG is a fast-scaling innovator in high-performance unmanned systems that have been forged and refined through intense combat in Ukraine. DFG's platforms include strike-optimized FPV systems, ISR drones, autonomous mission technologies, and cutting-edge drone simulators. These reflect battlefield models of adaptability, mission effectiveness, and accelerated production cycles.
Red Cat Holdings, a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, announced that its FANG™ FPV drone system has been officially added to the Department of War’s Blue UAS Cleared List. This designation affirms that the complete FANG system, previously pending inclusion, meets the Pentagon’s highest standards for cybersecurity, supply chain integrity, and operational trustworthiness. With full certification, the system is now eligible for streamlined acquisition by the Department of War and other federal agencies, with no need for additional cybersecurity approvals or sourcing waivers. “Blue UAS certification of our full system marks the next phase for FANG,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “This not only validates our hardware and engineering, but it also makes it easier for defense and security customers to move fast and confidently with a fully approved, low-cost, American-made FPV drone. We’re proud to deliver a platform that meets the highest standards and is ready to scale where and when it’s needed.”
Legal Disclaimer / Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this article contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Winning Media is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Winning Media is only compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation. Pursuant to an agreement Winning Media has been paid three thousand five hundred dollars for advertising and marketing services for ZenaTech by ZenaTech. We own ZERO shares of ZenaTech. Please click here for full disclaimer.
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