ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA) introduced the IQ Aqua, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) prototype that can navigate and operate underwater without human intervention. The vehicle is designed for both defense and commercial use, including mine detection and offshore inspection.
The prototype demonstrates baseline autonomous navigation and underwater mobility in controlled environments and will undergo outdoor field testing in the United States and other international sites over the coming months. ZenaTech plans to evolve the design into a tether‑free, GPS‑independent version for contested, GPS‑denied environments.
ZenaTech positions the IQ Aqua as part of an integrated maritime defense architecture that also includes its IQ Glider launch station and interceptor drones. The company sees commercial opportunities in inspecting offshore energy pipelines, subsea cables, and port infrastructure, targeting Gulf Cooperation Council nations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
While the company remains loss‑making with negative margins and a high cash burn rate, the launch of the IQ Aqua signals a strategic push into the growing underwater drone market, projected to reach $16 billion by 2034. The announcement underscores ZenaTech’s broader focus on AI‑driven autonomous systems across both defense and commercial sectors.
CEO Shaun Passley said, "ZenaDrone IQ Aqua targets a critical gap in maritime defense by enabling autonomous mine detection, addressing a threat that is inexpensive to deploy but costly to counter with traditional manned methods." He added, "Combined with our IQ Glider launch station and interceptor drones, the IQ Aqua will give defense forces an integrated above‑ and below‑surface maritime defense architecture, while also addressing significant commercial demand for autonomous underwater inspection and surveillance across the offshore energy and port security sectors."
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