AIRO Group Holdings, Inc.

Drones as a Service Companies are Targeting Future-Ready Drone Operations for Commercial, Agricultural, Military and Defense Services

Market News Updates News Commentary

NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Both the U.S. and global Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) markets are poised for substantial growth in the coming year and beyond.  The U.S. Drone as a Service (DaaS) market is poised for strong growth in 2026, driven by AI, automation, and demand from agriculture, construction, and logistics, with projections placing the market around $8.2 billion in 2026, up from $6.3 billion in 2024, according to some reports. Key trends include increasing adoption for cost savings, greater integration of BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations, and expansion in inspection, surveying, and delivery services, with North America leading global market share.  A report from ResearchAndMarkets said: "The global drone services market reached a value of nearly $18.58 billion in 2024, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.38% since 2019. The market is expected to grow from $18.58 billion in 2024 to $64.96 billion in 2029 at a rate of 28.43%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.21% from 2029 and reach $225.09 billion in 2034."  Active Companies looking to take advantage of these recently developments include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), ParaZero Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PRZO), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), AIRO Group Holdings (NASDAQ: AIRO).

ResearchAndMarkets continued: "Growth in the historic period resulted from rising oil and well exploration activities, significant rise in smart city initiatives, rise in drone-laser shows and rising demand for unmanned delivery services. Factors that negatively affected growth in the historic period were the airspace regulation and flight restrictions and certification and licensing requirements.  Going forward, increasing focus on precision agriculture, growing uses for cross-border security and surveillance, government support and policies favoring drone deployment and high demand from entertainment industry will drive growth. Factor that could hinder the growth of the drone services market in the future include payload capacity limitations, vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and hacking and impact of trade war and tariff. 

North America was the largest region in the drone services market, accounting for 39.65% or $7.37 billion of the total in 2024. It was followed by Western Europe, Asia Pacific and then the other regions. Going forward, the fastest-growing regions in the drone services market will be Asia Pacific and South America where growth will be at CAGRs of 32.64% and 30.70% respectively. These will be followed by Middle East and Western Europe where the markets are expected to grow at CAGRs of 30.47% and 27.84% respectively.  The top opportunities in the drone services market segmented by service type will arise in the drone platform service segment, which will gain $26.27 billion of global annual sales by 2029. The top opportunities in the drone services market segmented by solution will arise in the enterprise segment, which will gain $29.44 billion of global annual sales by 2029."

ZenaTech Completes 20th Acquisition in Year One of Drone as a Service, Strengthening California Wildfire Management and Public Works Opportunities - ZenaTech, Inc. ($ZENA) (NASDAQ: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech"), a technology solution provider specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, today announces it has completed its 20th acquisition.  The most recent acquisition is L.D. King, Inc., a well-established civil engineering and land surveying firm based in the Los Angeles area, further strengthening its footprint for drone solutions in one of the most wildfire-sensitive and natural disaster-prone regions in the US. This acquisition caps a successful first year executing its Drone as a Service expansion strategy to enable drone accessibility at scale for the innovation of legacy, low tech or manual work. Since January 2025, the company has built a US and global business network which includes thousands of existing commercial and government client relationships.

"We have exceeded our first-year objectives for Drone as a Service, underscoring both the pace and discipline with which we are scale our roll up strategy of multiple industries ripe for drone modernizing, representing significant untapped opportunities for Drone as a Service applications. The global drone services market is growing at over 36 % annually and expected to reach $355 billion by 2032 according to Pragma Market Research, creating a substantial long-term opportunity for scalable, recurring revenue," said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. "Our 20^th acquisition, L.D. King's deep relationships and decades-long operating history provide an ideal platform to deploy our drone-enabled services at scale for existing government and building developer clients.  We continue to expand into natural resources management expanded capabilities for future wildfire management, post-disaster assessments, and regional planning activities."

Founded in 1965, L.D. King, Inc. has served Southern California for more than six decades, with a reputation for quality and long-term client relationships across public works, commercial, and residential projects. The firm's multidisciplinary team of licensed professionals delivers comprehensive services ranging from land surveying and engineering to planning and construction management, addressing the diverse needs of municipal government agencies and private developers.

Building the Foundation for Drone as a Service Growth

• Established ZenaTech as a first-to-market leader pioneering a multi-service, globally scalable Drone as a Service network for government and commercial clients with 20 US and global acquisitions combined with two corporate stores
• Since its inception, Drone as a Service has focused on acquiring established, profitable businesses operating with legacy processes and modernizing them for growth through drone innovation, automation, and data-driven workflows
• Drone as a Service is now positioned to grow margins by integrating embedding AI-autonomous drone capabilities and certifying field technicians as licensed drone pilots, ZenaTech reduces labor intensity and streamlines operation costs
• Over the course of 2025, the company has been acquiring profitable businesses with an immediate revenue base, while expanding services and cross selling opportunities such as data analysis, automating maintenance, and new services like wildfire management, environmental monitoring, power washing, among others. Drone as a Service has now reached 20 acquisitions, ahead of its expected timeline

ZenaTech's Drone as a Service business platform provides business and government clients with on-demand or subscription-based access to faster and superior drone-based services for a host of surveying, inspection, maintenance, power washing, inventory management, and precision agriculture services, without the capital costs or operational burdens of ownership. By acquiring established, profitable service companies currently using low-tech processes and ripe for drone innovation, ZenaTech is building a global, multi-service DaaS network of locations in communities anchored by existing customers and revenue, for next-gen drone integration designed for speed, precision, data, and safety benefits. The company is continuing to build its global business and network of locations as well as its integration of drones and new services.  Continued…  Read this full release and additional news for ZENA by visiting:  https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/

Other recent developments in the drone/UAS industry include:

Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI) is positioned to address heightened operational and humanitarian risks tied to land mines and unexploded ordnance as U.S. defense policy enters a new review phase. According to reporting by Joyce Sohyun Lee of the Washington Post, a Dec. 2 Pentagon memo signed by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reverses Biden-era restrictions on antipersonnel land mines and directs the U.S. Department of War to recommend a revised policy within 90 days amid what officials describe as one of the most dangerous global security environments in U.S. history.

The Post reports that the interim policy removes geographic limitations on antipersonnel land mine use and allows "remotely delivered" systems, provided they incorporate compliant self-destruction and self-deactivation mechanisms. The memo also states that the revised framework is intended to allow the United States to remain a global leader in unexploded ordnance clearing assistance and conventional weapons destruction, underscoring continued demand for technologies that reduce long-term explosive hazards and civilian risk even as policy parameters shift.

ParaZero Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: PRZO), an aerospace defense company pioneering smart, autonomous solutions for the global manned and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry, recently announced a significant milestone: the successful completion of its first live demonstration of the DefendAir counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) platform on European soil.

This high-profile event, held in partnership with a premier Western European distributor, drew approximately 40 senior military officers from multiple NATO member states. Attendees witnessed firsthand the exceptional performance of DefendAir as it effortlessly neutralized simulated hostile drones in realistic battlefield and critical infrastructure protection scenarios.

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of autonomous aerial and ground robot intelligence through its Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS) business unit and private wireless solutions through Ondas Networks, recently announced the Company's CEO, Eric Brock, will participate in a fireside chat with Defense Tech analyst Austin Bohlig at 8:45 AM ET on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 and host 1x1 meetings with institutional investors throughout the day at the 28th Annual Needham Growth Conference ("NGC").  Investors interested in scheduling a meeting with Ondas may reach out to their Needham representative or email ir@ondas.com.

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS) is a leading provider of autonomous systems and private wireless solutions through its business units Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS), Ondas Capital and Ondas Networks. Ondas' technologies offer a powerful combination of aerial intelligence and next-generation connectivity to enhance security, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making across essential industries.

AIRO Group Holdings (NASDAQ: AIRO) recently announced the successful completion of the first RQ‑35 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) drones produced to full operational standard in its U.S. manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks the first U.S.-manufactured RQ‑35 systems and a major step forward in the company's Made‑in‑America expansion strategy.

The systems—built to the same specifications as those produced at AIRO's Denmark facility—completed Phase 1 of the U.S. manufacturing and validation program. This phase encompassed system assembly, including integration of all major components and complete system build-up. The aircraft then underwent a comprehensive flight‑test campaign, concluding with successful final flights on December 11.

DISCLAIMER:  MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein.  MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  MNU'S market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release.  MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.  This press release was distributed on behalf of ZenaTech, Inc.  For current services performed MNU was compensated forty six hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company.  MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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SOURCE Market News Updates

MarketNewsUpdates News Commentary

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2025 /CNW/ -- Drone as a Service (DaaS) is now applied and provides on-demand aerial data and imagery for industries like Agriculture, Construction/Real Estate, Energy/Utilities Military and Defense operations. The Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) market is experiencing explosive growth, with estimates placing the global market at roughly $33.55 billion in 2025, projected to skyrocket to over $550 billion by 2034, growing at a massive CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of around 36-37%. Key drivers include expanding applications in agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and parcel delivery, regulatory changes easing Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, and advancements in data analytics, with North America leading the charge. According to a recent report from Mordor Intelligence said that: "The North America drone services market size was USD 12.55 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 31.13 billion by 2030, growing at a 19.92% CAGR. The growth trajectory is underpinned by fast-moving Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rulemaking on beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, expanding 5G connectivity, and rising enterprise demand for low-carbon data capture. A shift from hardware sales toward service-centric business models is encouraging specialized operators in analytics, training, and maintenance. The North American drone services market, for platform services, led with a 57.20% revenue share in 2024, reflecting the central role of piloting, data capture, and processing packages. Enterprises relied on turnkey flight teams and cloud analytics to streamline adoption, sustaining fee-based recurring revenue across energy, construction, and agriculture verticals. Hardware commoditization led providers to focus on value-added insights, and bundled service contracts contributed to expanding average deal sizes in 2025." Active Companies in the drone industry this week include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS), AIRO Group Holdings (NASDAQ: AIRO), Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR).

Mordor Intelligence continued: "Training and simulation grew fastest at a 24.41% CAGR as labor shortfalls increased demand for scenario-based modules covering BVLOS procedures, swarm oversight, and advanced payload operation. Providers adopted mixed-reality simulators aligned with FAA Practical Test Standards, compressing time-to-currency and meeting insurers' proficiency requirements. As BVLOS rules mature, certification refresh programs are expected to accelerate, further lifting the North American commercial drone services market. The United States dominates the North American commercial drone services market in 2024, accounting for 86.51% of the market size, supported by the FAA's structured waiver process, extensive venture funding, and a dense enterprise client base. Federal test sites in Oklahoma, New York, and North Dakota facilitated technology validation, while defense grants under the DIU Blue UAS program accelerated the domestic scale-up of manufacturing. Congressional oversight of Part 108 BVLOS rulemaking further strengthened investor confidence."

ZenaTech Launches Q1 2026 Opening of the Zena AI Baton Rouge R&D Center, Supporting U.S. Defense, DARPA, Federal AI, and Quantum Computing Initiatives - ZenaTech, Inc. ($ZENA) (NASDAQ: ZENA) (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech"), a technology business solution provider specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, and Quantum Computing solutions, provides an update on its previously announced Zena AI division Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Research and Development (R&D) Center and launches the opening planned for the first quarter of 2026.

The Zena AI R&D center will support U.S. Department of War (DoW), DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), and federal agency requirements through the development of secure, defense-oriented artificial intelligence systems enhanced by quantum computing research. The facility will focus on mission-critical research areas including AI-driven decision-support systems, autonomous and semi-autonomous intelligence architectures, advanced sensor and data fusion, secure edge intelligence, and quantum-enhanced optimization and modeling.

"Launching a Q1 2026 opening reflects the progress we are making toward building a dedicated, U.S.-based research hub aligned with national defense priorities while strengthening our capacity and skillsets needed for accelerated development of future-ready ZenaDrone solutions," said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech. "The center is designed to support defense, intelligence, and federal agencies with high-assurance AI and emerging quantum-enabled capabilities developed within the United States." 

The Batan Rouge facility will bring together a multidisciplinary team of AI software engineers, data scientists, systems engineers, and drone technology specialists, helping to grow Louisiana's technology workforce through high-skilled roles, enhanced university partnerships, and deeper collaboration with defense organizations. Research will support a broad range of defense and homeland security applications, including autonomous navigation, multi-drone and fleet coordination, real-time decision-support models, and intuitive control interfaces such as app- or voice-directed operational commands.

The Baton Rouge center will also contribute to development of Eagle Eye, an initiative integrating AI drones, historical and real-time data, and quantum computing to deliver predictive insights, accelerated decision-making, and optimized battlefield performance. These initiatives are aligned with the White House's AI Action Plan and the three Executive Orders issued on July 23, 2025, which prioritize domestic AI innovation, infrastructure development, and deployment of ideologically neutral AI technologies. Continued… Read this full release and additional news for ZENA by visiting:  https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/

Other recent developments in the drone industry include:

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc (NYSE: UAVS) (dba, EagleNXT), a leading provider of full stack drone, sensors and software solutions for customers worldwide in the commercial and government verticals, recently provided a recap of its operational and strategic achievements in 2025 and outlines key priorities and expected growth drivers for 2026. The Company's 2025 performance reflects continued momentum in defense adoption, commercial innovation and agronomic research, global service and support expansion, and enhancements to its capital structure designed to support scale.

"EagleNXT experienced 2025 as a defining year, which we expect will pave the way for future success and value creation," stated Bill Irby, EagleNXT CEO. "As demand for mission-ready, NDAA-compliant unmanned systems increased, we advanced our technical capabilities and delivered for U.S. and allied military customers. We continue to innovate and advance our sensor and drone capabilities for greater research and productivity in many commercial and agricultural applications and positioned the Company with a more flexible capital structure to support scale. The momentum we created this year provides a strong foundation for accelerated growth in commercial and defense sectors, in operational expansion, and deeper alignment with the mission requirements of domestic and international government partners."

AIRO Group Holdings (NASDAQ: AIRO) recently announced the successful completion of the first RQ‑35 Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) drones produced to full operational standard in its U.S. manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks the first U.S.-manufactured RQ‑35 systems and a major step forward in the company's Made‑in‑America expansion strategy.

The systems--built to the same specifications as those produced at AIRO's Denmark facility--completed Phase 1 of the U.S. manufacturing and validation program. This phase encompassed system assembly, including integration of all major components and complete system build-up. The aircraft then underwent a comprehensive flight‑test campaign, concluding with successful final flights on December 11.

Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) recently announced plans for a new UK engineering hub in South West England, a region with a long history in aerospace and defence. The company, through its newly established UK subsidiary, intends to build and grow a team in the country to support its work in the region.

Last week's announcement from Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace highlighted the companies' joint work in support of the British Army's Project NYX and the Ministry of Defence's Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform programme, but will also involve exploration of other opportunities at GKN Aerospace's Isle of Wight airframe production facility. GKN Aerospace, a world leading, UK based aerospace manufacturing supplier, will be working alongside Archer and Anduril, with Archer contributing its latest advancements in eVTOL aircraft development and hybrid propulsion to meet the British Army's operational requirements.

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of autonomous aerial and ground robot intelligence through its Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS) business unit and private wireless solutions through Ondas Networks, recently announced that OAS and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (FWB:HDD) ("HEIDELBERG"), a global leader in technology and mechanical engineering, enter into negotiations to advance joint engineering, manufacturing, and deployment efforts across Europe. A MOU was signed today during a ceremony marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel, in the presence of both nations' Ministers of Economy. OAS and HEIDELBERG intend to jointly examine the establishment of European manufacturing and integration capacity across Ondas' autonomous systems portfolio. The focus will be on counter-UAV (C-UAV) solutions and ISR systems (Intelligence, Surveillance und Reconnaissance).

DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU'S market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.This press release was distributed on behalf of ZenaTech, Inc. For current services performed MNU expects to be compensated forty six hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

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Media Contact email: editor@marketnewsupdates.com - +1(561)486-1799

SOURCE: MarketNewsUpdates.com

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