Drones Have Morphed into Big Business -- And The Revenue Opportunity Is Exploding

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Platinum Trade Alerts News Commentary - Global Drone Markets Could Reach More Than $100 Billion as Commercial, Industrial and Defense Demand Accelerates - The drone industry is moving from a niche technology market into a major revenue-generating technology platform, with commercial, industrial, public-safety and defense applications expanding at the same time. A 2026 market estimate from Heimdall Insights puts the global drone market at approximately $65 billion in 2025 and projects it to reach $112 billion by 2030, representing an estimated 11.5% CAGR. Meanwhile, Grand View Research projects the global commercial drone market could reach $57.16 billion by 2030, while North America's commercial drone market is projected to reach $12.51 billion. That combination of hardware sales, recurring software revenue, autonomous systems, data services and Drone-as-a-Service models creates multiple avenues for companies to turn rapidly expanding drone adoption into substantial revenue growth. Leading Tech Companies on the move today include: ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), Swarmer, Inc (NASDAQ: SWMR), AEVEX Corp. (NYSE: AVEX).

What makes the opportunity particularly compelling is that drones are increasingly becoming business tools rather than simply aircraft. AI-powered navigation, autonomous flight, advanced sensors, mapping, inspection, agriculture, energy infrastructure, logistics, emergency response and security are opening new revenue streams across industries. Grand View Research estimates the U.S. commercial drone market alone could grow from approximately $5.3 billion in 2023 to $9.78 billion by 2030, while its latest U.S. drone research points to a $25.07 billion market in 2024 with a projected 13% CAGR through 2030. For investors watching the sector, the important story is not simply how many drones are sold—it is the potentially much larger revenue opportunity developing around autonomy, AI, recurring services, specialized payloads, data analytics and mission-critical drone operations.

Key revenue-growth drivers:

• AI & Autonomy: Smarter drones can expand applications while reducing the need for constant human control.
• Drone-as-a-Service: Recurring inspection, mapping, surveillance and data contracts can create revenue beyond the initial hardware sale.
• Defense & Security: Military, border security, counter-drone and public-safety applications are creating additional demand for advanced unmanned systems.
• Industrial Adoption: Energy, construction, agriculture, mining and infrastructure operators are increasingly using drones to collect data and reduce costly manual work.
• Data & Software: The higher-value opportunity may increasingly shift from the aircraft itself toward software, analytics, sensors, cloud platforms and recurring data services.

ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) Reports 425% First Half and 316% Second-Quarter Year-Over-Year Revenue Growth as Drone as a Service Segment Continues to Scale - Company delivers its seventh consecutive quarter of revenue growth, advances defense product portfolio, and joins the Russell 3000® Index - ZenaTech, Inc. ($ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech"), a technology company specializing in AI-powered drone systems, Drone as a Service ("DaaS"), enterprise SaaS solutions, and Quantum Computing applications, announces its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026. All financial figures are reported in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. The Company reported second quarter revenue of $9.3 million, an increase of 316% from $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2025. Revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2026, was $17.7 million, an increase of 425% from $3.4 million in the comparable 2025 period. Growth continues to be driven primarily by the Company's Drone as a Service segment, which contributed almost 93% of total revenue during both the quarter and the six-month period.

"The second quarter of 2026 marked continued momentum for ZenaTech, with DaaS revenue growing to $8.1 million for a total of $9.3 million of revenue for the quarter, and our overall business revenue was up 316% year-over-year," said Dr. Shaun Passley, ZenaTech Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have now delivered seven consecutive quarters of sequential revenue growth since the fourth quarter of 2024, with revenue increasing over 13 times from $700,000 to $9.3 million during that period."

"During the quarter, we added four new Drone as a Service land survey and service businesses to our platform, bringing our cumulative acquisition count to 29, and we also acquired an HR software company added to our Enterprise SaaS portfolio. We extended our corporate footprint with new offices including in South Korea and the United Kingdom, contributing to the scale up and international reach of our organization and AI autonomy platform. Concurrently, our balance sheet strengthened, with cash growing to $12.2 million and total assets surpassing $149 million, providing the flexibility to continue funding both organic growth and disciplined, accretive acquisitions."

Second Quarter Results and Recent Highlights

• Completed four additional land survey and legacy service business acquisitions during the quarter – Andy Paris Land Surveying, North Group, High Prairie Survey Company, and Green Earth Powerwashing Franchise Network – bringing the Company's cumulative DaaS acquisition count to 24 by the end of June and 29 to date
• Announced expansion of DaaS geographical footprint to Australia with a Queensland-based acquisition of multi location land survey company North Group. Closed High Prairie Survey Company, serving the Southeast Denver growth corridor, and Green Earth Powerwashing including its franchise network, strengthening the Company's Florida market presence and extending its power washing services and plans to integrate and improve these operations with drones
• Signed offers to acquire multiple additional land survey and geospatial services companies across the U.S., Canada and Australia, expected to collectively contribute approximately C$40 million in revenue to our DaaS business during the first 12 months following a completed closing
• Opened new corporate offices in South Korea and the United Kingdom during the quarter, extending the Company's international footprint for its AI autonomy platforms
• Closed the Company's 29th acquisition expanding DaaS into additional sectors --such as oil and gas-- and regions, including, Alberta, Canada, Ohio and Idaho, and most recently Georgia, totalling 14 U.S. states currently
• Added to the Russell 3000® Index in June 2026, a milestone in the Company's growth and market recognition
• Advanced the Blue UAS certification progress for military and government procurement and contract eligibility, across the ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Square and IQ Nano platforms, and submitted the IQ Quad land survey drone for Blue UAS certification
• Continued build-out of our Counter-UAS integrated defense system platform and interceptor drone development, including progress on the ZenaDrone 2000 gas-based interceptor, IQ Glider launch and refueling station, and Interceptor P-1 low-cost, one-way drone interceptor platform
• Announced the Company's Ukraine-based manufacturing and testing operations is in the process of being established where its Counter UAS and interceptor drones will be a development focus, and the company announced the registration of Pheonix Aero as its Western Ukraine-based company
• ZenaDrone began scheduling technology demonstrations with U.S. government defense agencies, starting with its first confirmed agency engagement, beginning with the IQ Nano indoor drone for inventory management. 
• ZenaDrone began the testing phase for its Interceptor P-1 Counter-UAS platform and moved the IQ Aqua underwater mine-detection drone into U.S. field testing in Florida
• Announced the unveiling of Zoo Office™, an AI-Powered enterprise productivity platform positioned to capitalize on agentic AI which will include the company's existing 13 software brands. This now includes NOW Solutions, an HR software company acquired during the quarter, and ESM an enterprise performance management and compliance software company and more recent Enterprise SaaS acquisition
• ZenaDrone began in-house drone flight testing of custom-designed printed circuit boards manufactured at the Company's Taiwan-based Spider Vision Sensors subsidiary, part of advancing its vertical integration strategy toward NDAA-compliant drones and Blue UAS certification
• Filed five U.S. provisional patents covering acoustic fire suppression and aerial wildfire assessment technology for the ZenaDrone 1000 platform, targeting a global firefighting drone market projected to grow to approximately $2.8 billion by 2033
• Launched the initial development of ZenaWorx, drone and LiDAR-based 3D construction-progress monitoring software platform targeting AI data-centre construction during the quarter and more recently added new digital terrain modeling capabilities and signed the Company's first paying AI data center construction customer
• Announced the Company's DaaS oil and gas regulation and environmental surveying business entered a strengthened market backdrop, supported by higher oil prices and more than US$500 billion in expected Canadian energy investment over the next decade

"Our pipeline of innovative products now spans air, land, indoor, maritime and underwater applications for both commercial and defense applications. We remain focused on converting the surveying, inspection and power washing businesses we've acquired onto drone-based delivery, which we believe will continue to expand margins as integration progresses," added Dr. Passley. "With an expanding international footprint of enterprise software and a base of 13 current software packages being rebranded under Zoo Office, our productivity suite of AI-enabled enterprise SaaS division, we believe ZenaTech is well positioned to continue its growth trajectory through the balance of 2026."

Second Quarter Financial Overview

• Total revenue for the second quarter of 2026 was $9.3 million, an increase of 316% compared to $2.2 million for the second quarter of 2025, and $17.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, an increase of 425% compared to $3.4 million for the same period of 2025
• The DaaS segment contributed $8.1 million of revenue for the second quarter of 2026 and $16.4 million for the six-month period, reflecting a full quarter of contribution from entities acquired in 2025, the four acquisitions completed in the second quarter of 2026 – Andy Paris Land Surveying, North Group, High Prairie Survey Company and Green Earth Powerwashing Franchise Network – and increased survey volumes across the Company's existing operations
• The Enterprise SaaS Software segment contributed $1.2 million for the second quarter and $1.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, including the initial contribution from the new Zoo Office™ platform unveiling during the quarter of the productivity suite and plans to consolidate under one brand
• Total assets grew 50% to $149.2 million as of June 30, 2026, from $99.8 million as of December 31, 2025, reflecting continued investment in property, plant and equipment, goodwill and intangible assets from acquisitions
• Total shareholders' equity increased to $91.3 million as of June 30, 2026, from $68 million as of December 31, 2025
• Cash increased 105% to $12.2 million as of June 30, 2026, from $6.0 million as of December 31, 2025; cash and marketable securities together totaled $34.6 million compared to $15.1 million as of December 31, 2025
• The Company reported a net loss of $22.5 million during the quarter reflecting its strategy to invest in laying a strong global foundation for its AI Autonomy drone platforms enabling capability to scale DaaS services and revenue, and future government and defense customer pilots and contracts.

Outlook for the Remainder of 2026

Looking ahead, ZenaTech expects growth for the balance of 2026 to be driven by:

• Closing the Company's signed acquisition offers and continuing to integrate acquired survey, inspection and power washing businesses into drone-based delivery to support reduced cost per survey and per job, while increasing capacity, geographic reach, and margin expansion, as well as additional services such as data analytics and centralized fast analytics processing.
• Advancing ZenaDrone 1000 and IQ Series products through development stages, Blue UAS process advancement leading to Blue UAS certification and procurement list ready, and engagement with U.S. defense agencies leading to additional demonstration requests leading to customer pilots and contracts.
• Counter-UAS/interceptor development on our products at the prototype and testing stage, including progress advancing Ukraine-based testing and manufacturing operations, to support product development objectives and defense and government revenue.
• Continued manufacturing progress including further commissioning of facilities, expanding product lines and production, or expanding manufacturing and testing teams across its Mesa, Arizona, Sharja, UAE, and Taipei, Taiwan manufacturing locations.
• Continued developments to introduce offerings and AI tools and bring to market the Zoo Office™ enterprise productivity platform suite designed to bring value to business and government customers and expand Enterprise SaaS revenue.
• Maintaining balance sheet flexibility to fund organic growth and disciplined, accretive acquisitions.

Additional information is available in ZenaTech's Form 6-K filing on the SEC EDGAR website. Continued… Read this full release and additional news for ZENA by visiting: https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/

In other recent drone/tech companies financial reportings:

EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), the world's leading advanced air mobility ("AAM") technology platform company, late last month announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026.

Operational and Financial Highlights for the Second Quarter of 2026:

• Sales and deliveries of products included 36 units of electric vertical take-off and landing ("eVTOL") aircraft, comprising 35 units of the EH216 series1 and one unit of VT35, compared with 52 units of the EH216 series in the second quarter of 2025 and increasing notably from 4 units in the first quarter of 2026; 520 units of GD4.0 formation drones, compared with 1,000 units in the first quarter of 2026.
• Total revenues were RMB77.9 million (US$11.5 million), representing a significant increase of 203.5% from RMB25.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, and a decrease of 31.3% from RMB113.3 million in the second quarter of 2025.

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) recently reported financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended August 1, 2026. 

First Quarter Highlights:

• Record revenue for the first quarter of $480.5 million, up 6% year-over-year
• Bookings of $0.7 billion and book-to-bill ratio of 1.4 for the quarter
• Record funded backlog of $1.5 billion, up 37% year-over-year

"AV's fiscal year 2027 is off to a strong start, with record first-quarter revenue and funded backlog and landmark strategic wins," said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our team is united in our mission to execute with discipline and capture demand for the key franchise programs that matter most to our customers, and that is exactly what we did in the first quarter."

Swarmer, Inc (Nasdaq: SWMR), a drone autonomy software company which has supported more than 100,000 real-world combat missions in Ukraine since April 2024, recently announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 ("Q2 2026"), and discussed recent business developments.

Management Commentary - Swarmer President & U.S. CEO, Alex Fink, stated: "The second quarter of 2026 marked our first full quarter as a public company and a period of meaningful progress across the business. We successfully added several new customers and advanced deployments across multiple unmanned platforms while continuing to invest in the team and technology needed to support future growth."

"These developments reinforce our belief that Swarmer is well positioned to capitalize on a rapidly expanding market as demand for autonomous and collaborative unmanned systems continues to accelerate. We believe the expansion of the SkyKnight program validates both our technology and business model. As we connect with larger manufacturers and deployment volumes continue to grow across the industry, we see a significant opportunity to expand adoption of our software with additional platforms."

AEVEX Corp. (NYSE: AVEX) recently announced results for the three months ended June 30, 2026 ("Second Quarter 2026").

• Total revenue of $201.8 million, up 99.5% from $101.1 million in Q2 2025
• Net Income of $6.7 million compared to a net loss of $11.8 million in Q2 2025
• Adjusted EBITDA* of $28.1 million compared to Adjusted EBITDA* of $3.6 million in Q2 2025
• Announced definitive agreement to acquire BlackSea Technologies to expand AEVEX's multi‑domain autonomous systems portfolio

"Our second‑quarter results reflect the scale, momentum, and customer demand we're seeing across our autonomous systems portfolio. Near triple‑digit revenue growth, continued margin expansion, and strong execution across the business highlight the operational tempo our teams are delivering for customers," said Roger Wells, Chief Executive Officer of AEVEX. "Demand signals for battle‑proven autonomous systems remain robust, and we continued to see customers prioritize providers who can deliver capability at scale and in operational environments today. Our CompassX‑enabled autonomy ecosystem and expanding production footprint position us well to support those needs."

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