ZenaTech Advances ZenaDrone 2000 Heavy-Lift Interceptor Toward Flight Testing for Counter-UAS and Maritime Defense
Key Highlights
- ➤ZenaDrone 2000 flight testing expected to begin in Q1 2027
- ➤Airframe and folding arm structure completed for first full prototype
- ➤Gasoline propulsion and 36-inch propellers bench-tested
- ➤ZenaDrone 2000 targets 200 kg takeoff weight and 40 kg payload
- ➤Counter-UAS market could exceed $20 billion by 2030, analysts indicate
Expert Statements
Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech
“The ZenaDrone 2000 is the largest and most capable aircraft we have built, and we are taking the time to get the prototype right before it flies.”
Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech
“Militaries, navies and border agencies need counter-drone systems that can stay on station for hours and respond to many threats at once, at a cost they can field at scale. With the Interceptor P-1 already inflight testing and the ZenaDrone 2000 moving through its build, we are assembling a complete, affordable counter-UAS layer for the U.S., our allies and partners in the Middle East for a counter-UAS market that industry analysts indicate could exceed USD $20 billion by 2030.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech" or the "Company"), a technology solution provider specializing in AI-powered drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, provides an update on the ZenaDrone 2000, its heavy-lift autonomous interceptor designed to counter hostile drones and coordinated swarm attacks over land and sea. ZenaDrone is building the first full prototype and part of an integrated defense system, at its facility in Sharjah, UAE, and now expects to begin flight testing in the first quarter of 2027.
Recent build milestones include: * Airframe and folding arm structure completed * Gasoline propulsion system and 36-inch propellers bench-tested * Flight controller and autonomy software in ground testing Once assembly is complete, the first flight test phase will validate takeoff, hover and landing at full and partial payload, endurance toward the 4+ hour hover rating, the 360-degree detection system, and autonomous navigation. Later phases are expected to add autonomous threat pursuit, multi-target engagement, swarm coordination with the Interceptor P-1, and maritime launch and recovery from ZenaDrone's IQ Glider marine launch and refueling station.
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