ZenaTech Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA) announced that three of its ZenaDrone defense platforms have advanced to the cybersecurity phase of the U.S. Department of Defense's Blue UAS certification pathway. The ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Square, and IQ Nano are being evaluated under the Green-to-Blue framework administered by the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International.

Blue UAS certification establishes National Defense Authorization Act compliance and enables direct procurement by U.S. defense agencies, federal departments, and allied government buyers. The company's submissions have completed phases one and two of the pathway, including application onboarding and submission of hardware bill of materials and NDAA supply-chain compliance documentation.

The platforms are now entering phase three, where third-party penetration testing will assess system resilience, encryption integrity, and operational security under simulated conditions. Final Blue UAS status remains subject to successful completion of remaining certification phases and Defense Contract Management Agency review.

The ZenaDrone 1000 is a medium-sized vertical takeoff and landing drone capable of lifting approximately 40 kilograms, designed for inspection, surveillance, and reconnaissance applications. The company states it has undergone paid trials with the U.S. Air Force and Navy Reserve for applications including critical cargo delivery.

The IQ Nano is a compact indoor drone designed to operate in GPS-denied environments for inventory management and security applications. The IQ Square is engineered for line-of-sight surveys, infrastructure inspections, and defense reconnaissance tasks.

"Blue UAS certification unlocks direct access to the U.S. defense agency market," said Shaun Passley, CEO of ZenaTech, according to the company's statement.

ZenaTech specializes in AI drone platforms, drone-as-a-service, enterprise software, and quantum computing solutions. The company operates across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.