Adoption of Autonomous Drones Rises for Military Operations Fueled by Cutting-Edge Technology

PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FN Media Group News Commentary - The global military drone market is witnessing rapid technological advancements, with significant improvements in drone capabilities such as endurance, payload capacity, and stealth features. Innovations in materials science, battery technology, and miniaturization are enabling drones to fly longer, carry heavier loads, and avoid detection more effectively. A report from Grand View Research predicted that the Global Military Drone Market Size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2024 to 2030. The report said: “There is a growing trend towards the adoption of autonomous and semi-autonomous drone systems in military operations. Autonomous drones can perform complex missions with minimal human intervention, reducing the risk to personnel and increasing mission success rates. The development of sophisticated algorithms for navigation, target recognition, and obstacle avoidance is driving market growth. Military drones are increasingly being integrated with other defense systems to create a cohesive and interconnected battlefield environment. This integration includes linking drones with ground-based radar systems, manned aircraft, and naval vessels, enabling seamless data sharing and coordinated operations. The concept of network-centric warfare, where various military assets are interconnected through a robust communication network, is driving market growth.” Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO).

Grand View Research continued: “There is a noticeable shift towards smaller, tactical drones. These drones are designed for short-range missions and can be deployed quickly and discreetly. They are used extensively for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, providing real-time situational awareness to ground troops. Their portability and ease of use make them ideal for urban warfare and counter-insurgency operations, where flexibility and rapid deployment are crucial. Moreover, as the use of military drones becomes more widespread, there is an increased focus on developing counter-drone technologies. These technologies aim to detect, identify, and neutralize hostile drones, protecting critical infrastructure and military assets. Counter-drone systems employ a variety of methods, including radar, RF jamming, and kinetic interception, to mitigate the threat posed by enemy drones. The rise in asymmetric warfare, where non-state actors and insurgent groups use commercial drones for attacks, has further accelerated the development and deployment of counter-drone solutions.”

ZenaTech Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) Opens a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drone Testing Facility in Turkey for US Defense and NATO-Destined ZenaDrone 1000 Drones - ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) ("ZenaTech"), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone solutions driven by Quantum Computing, Drones as a Service, and enterprise SaaS, announces that it has signed a lease to open a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone testing facility in Turkey. The facility will serve as a product testing site for its subsidiary ZenaDrone’s ZenaDrone 1000 model drones designed for the US Defense Branches and NATO. The testing facility will be fully set up and operational during the first quarter of 2025.

“Having a testing facility in Turkey will accelerate the development of our US Defense and NATO models of the ZenaDrone 1000. Importantly it will help to advance our AI drone swarm solutions and the Drone Command Center hub at the heart of missions. Turkey is a favorable European location for experimental drone testing and known for its defense industry innovation and we are grateful to be collaborating there,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

The company will test defense drone applications including ISRT (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting), logistics and transportation, and other applications over wide distances beyond an operator’s line of sight. The company will also design and test its Drone Command Center, a mobile room that manages the computers, controls, and communications for multiple drones flying at one time, which it intends to file a patent for in the first quarter of 2025. The site is expected to help provide additional testing and readiness for future US FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) licensing applications.

A drone command center is a centralized facility or mobile room used to monitor, control, and manage the operations of multiple drones or AI drone swarms in real-time. It acts as the operational hub where drone missions are planned, executed, and monitored, ensuring that drones are collecting data and performing their tasks safely, efficiently, and within regulatory guidelines.

A drone swarm is a group of autonomous drones that work together, coordinated by algorithms, to perform tasks with dramatically improved speed, efficiency, and coverage. ZenaTech previously announced the Sky Traffic project where ZenaDrone teams will be working on applications for drone swarms, also utilizing Quantum Computing, which will include border control and perimeter security military applications.

ZenaDrone previously completed paid trials with both the US Air Force and US Naval Research using its drones for carrying critical cargo -- such as blood -- in the field. ZenaDrone plans to manufacture and assemble its US Department of Defense (DoD) drones in Phoenix, Arizona.

The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous drone, in a quadcopter design with eight rotors, and is considered a medium-sized drone, roughly the size of a boardroom table. It is designed for stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities, incorporating innovative software technology, AI, sensors, and purpose-built attachments, along with compact and rugged hardware engineered for industrial and defense use.

ZenaDrone solutions for the US military must be NDAA (National Defense Administration Act) compliant, a requirement with strict drone cybersecurity and country of origin specifications, including chipsets, cameras, and components, which excludes a set list of Chinese manufacturers. The company previously announced that its supply chain is NDAA-compliant.

The company has also previously announced that it plans to apply for Green UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) followed by Blue UAS certification. The Blue UAS program is a stringent government-approved supplier list of drone companies that wish to do business with the US DoD. The Green UAS program is essentially the same as the Blue UAS program, only it is a more streamlined and faster certification process without the country of origin specifications.  Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

Other recent developments in the markets include:

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), a leading provider of best-in-class unmanned aerial systems (UAS), sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the commercial and government verticals, announces it has received order for 60 RedEdge-P Multispectral Sensors from an East Asian value-added reseller (VAR).

AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “This sale marks another significant milestone in 2024 as the Company continues to secure larger quantity orders, in this case, the largest sensor order in our history. We remain dedicated to enhancing our product offerings and driving new revenue streams as AgEagle maintains its course in positioning for long-term shareholder value creation.”

Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), recently announced a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) to integrate Visual Navigation software (VNav) into Red Cat’s Black Widow drones and to deploy Warp Speed, Palantir’s manufacturing OS. This collaboration will transform autonomous sUAS operations for modern warfare by utilizing Palantir’s advanced AI software running onboard the drone which references up-to-date onboard satellite imagery to provide accurate navigation entirely independent of GPS or radio control signals.

The integration of Palantir’s VNav software and use of Warp Speed advances Red Cat’s mission to define the future of aerial intelligence and provide warfighters with critical, real-time situational awareness on the battlefield. Following Black Widow’s selection for the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance Program, this partnership accelerates the ability to deploy electronic-warfare (EW) resistant sUAS without GPS. Palantir’s VNav software solves the persistent problem of long-range inertial drift by comparing the drone’s position against onboard up-to-date satellite imagery.

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions, announced recently that its Ondas Autonomous Systems Inc. ("OAS") business unit's subsidiary Airobotics has received a purchase order from one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers to renew ongoing aerial security and data services.

As part of this purchase order, Airobotics offers aerial security and data services using its Optimus drone infrastructure, which includes docking stations and drones capable of capturing diverse aerial data types. These data are processed into real-time insights for end-users without human intervention. Since its initial installation in 2016, Airobotics has expanded its autonomous drone operations within the growing semiconductor chip manufacturing facility in Israel. The Optimus System provides 24/7 aerial operations for security, safety, and project management services through a unified data and analytics platform for the customer, project managers, and third-party contractors.

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