(SeaPRwire) –   ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Square, and IQ Nano move into the cybersecurity stage of the Department of Defense’s accelerated Green-to-Blue certification framework

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 19, 2026 — ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a tech solutions provider focused on AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and quantum computing offerings, has announced that three defense platforms from its ZenaDrone subsidiary—the ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Square, and IQ Nano—have progressed to the cybersecurity phase of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Blue UAS certification process. This step positions the company for eligibility on U.S. government and defense procurement rosters. The three platforms are being assessed collectively under the recently optimized Green-to-Blue framework managed by the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). Blue UAS certification confirms compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and allows a vendor to be directly purchased by U.S. defense agencies, federal departments, and allied government customers.

“Blue UAS certification opens up direct entry to the U.S. defense agency market—a high-growth, NDAA-compliant opportunity we’re positioning ourselves to seize,” stated Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech. “The demand for secure autonomous systems is accelerating across intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics, and asymmetric warfare, and our progress through cybersecurity, manufacturing, and supply chain readiness reflects disciplined execution. We’re in the home stretch toward certification and look forward to delivering scalable, mission-critical drone solutions to government and defense clients.”

ZenaDrone’s submissions have completed the first two phases of the AUVSI-administered pathway, including application onboarding and the submission of consolidated hardware bills of materials (HBOM) and NDAA supply-chain compliance documentation for all three platforms. The drones are now advancing to phase three—cybersecurity validation—where third-party penetration testing will evaluate system resilience, encryption integrity, and operational security under simulated adversarial conditions. Final Blue UAS status remains subject to successful completion of the remaining certification phases and a review by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).

The Blue UAS pathway has shifted significantly since ZenaTech filed its initial Green UAS applications last year, benefiting “made in America” drone manufacturers and fostering innovation. Under the updated Green-to-Blue framework, the Department of Defense now leverages third-party assessors and the Green UAS process—including AUVSI-led evaluations—to conduct most cybersecurity, supply-chain, and NDAA compliance validation earlier in the pipeline. While the DoD retains ultimate authority over Blue UAS status and defense procurement access, the path to certification has become more distributed, scalable, and faster for domestic manufacturers.

ZenaDrone’s multi-function AI drone systems currently in this certification process include:

• The ZenaDrone 1000: a mid-sized VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) rugged drone built for construction, capable of lifting approximately 40 kg, with AI-enabled autonomy and secure communications via its proprietary Drone Net system. It is designed for inspection, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications, critical cargo transport, and border patrol—with a gas-powered variant under development for longer flights. It has undergone paid trials with both the U.S. Air Force and Navy Reserve for uses like delivering critical cargo such as temperature-controlled medical supplies.
• The IQ Nano: a compact indoor drone (starting size 20″×20″) engineered to operate in GPS-denied environments like warehouses or military facilities for inventory management via barcode scanning and security applications, featuring obstacle avoidance and AI-driven drone swarms or fleets.
• The IQ Square: a VTOL drone (starting size 40”×40”) designed for line-of-sight surveys, infrastructure inspections, road and bridge checks, and defense reconnaissance tasks.

About ZenaTech

ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) is a technology company specializing in AI autonomous drone platforms to transform industrial, government, and defense sectors. Its subsidiaries include drone manufacturing through ZenaDrone, a global Drone as a Service (DaaS) business, and a separate enterprise SaaS division with multiple 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 scalable, recurring revenue growth via drone-based solutions. With an operating footprint spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, ZenaTech is advancing AI drones for agriculture and logistics, as well as ISR, cargo, and counter-UAS applications for U.S. defense and NATO allies. It 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 wholly owned subsidiary of ZenaTech, develops and manufactures autonomous drone solutions that integrate machine learning software, AI, predictive modeling, quantum computing, and other software and hardware innovations. Initially created to revolutionize the hemp farming sector, its specialization has expanded to multifunctional drone solutions for surveying, monitoring, inspection, tracking, process automation, and defense applications. Currently, the ZenaDrone 1000 is used for crop management and critical field cargo tasks in the defense sector; the IQ Nano indoor drone supports inventory management and security in warehouses and logistics; the IQ Square is an outdoor drone designed for power washing and inspections in commercial and government sectors; and the IQ Quad is used for land surveys.

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

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