VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 12, 2026 — ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZENA) (FSE:49Q) (BMV:ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology solutions provider specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing offerings, has announced that its ZenaDrone subsidiary has filed a provisional patent application for its maritime drone defense system. This system combines the ZenaDrone 2000 maritime interceptor drone and the IQ Glider autonomous marine launch and refueling station. The patent application covers the company’s counter-UAS system architecture, which is designed to enable persistent, ship-based drone interception capable of autonomously detecting, engaging, and intercepting multiple incoming unmanned aerial threats. The provisional patent was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and represents the first step in building a defensible intellectual property portfolio for the company’s maritime defense system.

“Safeguarding our intellectual property is a critical component of our long-term strategy and ongoing company success,” said Shaun Passley, PhD, ZenaTech CEO. “This patent filing will help build a broad portfolio of intellectual property around this program and potential future initiatives. As drone warfare continues to evolve, protecting the core technologies behind our next-generation defense systems is essential. With a deliberate patent filing program, our goal is to secure a defensible position around technologies we believe will be central to autonomous maritime defense. These solutions are built for the new era of asymmetric warfare, where the cost dynamics of multimillion-dollar missiles pitted against swarms of cheap drones are no longer viable.”

The patent application covers the ZenaDrone 2000 interceptor drone as well as the integrated system architecture that powers the IQ Glider marine station—designed to autonomously launch and refuel multiple ZenaDrone 2000 interceptor drones from a maritime vessel. Achieving patent-pending status marks the start of creating a defensible IP moat around the combined ZenaDrone 2000 and IQ Glider system.

By operating ZenaDrone 2000 interceptor drones in a continuous relay from the IQ Glider marine station, the system is engineered to provide constant aerial interception coverage capable of detecting, tracking, and intercepting multiple incoming drones or drone swarm threats. Key elements of the system are expected to include autonomous docking and refueling sequencing, multi-drone relay operations enabling uninterrupted coverage, and AI-driven navigation and threat engagement capabilities built to function in complex or GPS-denied environments.

Both the IQ Glider and the ZenaDrone 2000 interceptor drone are currently in active development. The ZenaDrone 2000 gas-powered prototype is in the design and development stage, with testing expected before the end of the year. The IQ Glider is being developed in parallel as the dedicated launch and refueling infrastructure for ZenaDrone 2000 fleet operations. ZenaTech will provide updates on combined system development milestones, prototype testing timelines, patent updates, and defense customer engagement as they are achieved.

About ZenaTech

ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) (FSE:49Q) (BMV:ZENA) is a technology company specializing in AI drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions for mission-critical applications across business, government, and defense. Since 2017, the Company has leveraged its software development expertise and expanded 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, government, and industrial sectors, and drones deployed in those sectors plus agriculture, defense, and logistics, ZenaTech’s portfolio of solutions drives speed, accuracy, and cost savings. The Company operates through global offices in North America, Europe, Taiwan, and the UAE, and is growing its DaaS business and global location network through acquisitions.

About ZenaDrone

ZenaDrone, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZenaTech, develops and manufactures autonomous drone solutions that can incorporate 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 grown to include multifunctional drone solutions for surveying, monitoring, inspection, tracking, process automation, and defense applications.

Currently, the ZenaDrone 1000 drone is used for crop management applications and critical field cargo tasks in the defense sector; the IQ Nano indoor drone supports inventory management and security in warehouse and logistics sectors; 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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