ZenaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZENA) has filed five U.S. provisional patents covering acoustic fire suppression and aerial wildfire assessment technologies intended for integration with its ZenaDrone 1000 drone platform.

The soundwave-based system uses low-frequency sound rather than water, foam, or chemicals to disrupt flames at their source. According to the company, the technology is designed to complement traditional firefighting methods and could allow drones to operate in environments where conventional suppression tools cannot, including electrical substations, data centers, and battery storage facilities.

The ZenaDrone 1000 is a 7-by-12-foot autonomous AI drone capable of carrying up to 40 kg of payload and operating in coordinated swarms. The platform can be equipped with thermal imaging and LiDAR sensors.

"Wildfires are one of the most urgent and costly natural threats facing communities today and we believe autonomous aerial drone technology has an important role to play in how they're detected, contained, and extinguished," said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech.

Grand View Research projects the global firefighting drone market to grow from $1.2 billion in 2024 to nearly $2.8 billion by 2033, at a 9.8% compound annual growth rate. The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee estimates climate-exacerbated wildfires cost the U.S. between $394 billion and $893 billion annually.

ZenaTech said it plans to continue research, engineering, and field testing of the wildfire suppression technology throughout 2026 as it works toward commercial and government pilot programs.