ZenaTech buys Velocity Geomatics, pushes drones into oil and gas compliance

ZenaTech said July 17, 2026, that it completed its 25th acquisition by buying Velocity Geomatics, expanding Drone as a Service into oil and gas environmental and regulatory work in Western Canada. The deal gives ZenaTech a foothold in a market tied to a global drone inspection sector growing at roughly 28.5% a year.

Why it matters: - ZenaTech is moving Drone as a Service into a new vertical with recurring compliance and inspection demand. - The acquisition gives ZenaTech exposure to oil and gas environmental and regulatory work in Western Canada. - The company says the deal helps fulfill a public goal of reaching 25 acquisitions to support its DaaS strategy. - The target market is tied to a global oil and gas drone inspection services market valued at about $2.3 billion and growing at an estimated 28.5% annually.

What happened: - ZenaTech completed its acquisition of Velocity Geomatics Inc., which does business as Velocity Group. - The deal was announced July 17, 2026, from Vancouver, British Columbia. - Velocity Group is based in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and operates offices across Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. - The acquisition is ZenaTech’s first in drone-based geomatics for environmental and regulatory compliance in the oil and gas industry. - The transaction is ZenaTech’s 25th acquisition since the company said in January 2025 that it aimed to reach that total by mid-2026.

The details: - Velocity Group provides geospatial land surveying, geomatics, mapping and environmental and regulatory compliance services for Western Canadian oil and gas producers. - The company runs three regional offices and a head office in Grande Prairie. - Its work covers Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. - Services include surveying, mapping and pre-site assessment support for commercial infrastructure and energy development projects. - Velocity Group serves oil and gas clients that include energy operators and natural gas producers active in upstream and infrastructure development. - About 80% of current projects already use drone-based workflows for surveying and geospatial data collection. - ZenaTech says the acquisition adds an established customer base, regional expertise and experience with drone-based surveying and geomatics projects. - Shaun Passley, ZenaTech’s CEO, said the company sees an opportunity to expand services with AI-powered drone technology for surveying, mapping, inspections and infrastructure monitoring. - ZenaTech’s DaaS platform offers on-demand or subscription-based access to drone-based surveying, inspection, maintenance, power washing, inventory management and precision agriculture services. - ZenaTech is building a multi-service DaaS network through acquisitions of established service companies with existing customers and revenue. - ZenaTech operates through offices in North America, Europe, Taiwan and the UAE. - ZenaDrone, a wholly owned ZenaTech subsidiary, develops and manufactures autonomous drone systems that can incorporate machine learning, AI, predictive modeling and quantum computing. - ZenaDrone products include the ZenaDrone 1000 for crop management and defense cargo applications, the IQ Nano for warehouse inventory and security, the IQ Square for power washing and inspections, and the IQ Quad for land surveys.

Between the lines: - ZenaTech is using acquisitions to enter businesses where drones can replace older field workflows. - The Velocity deal suggests ZenaTech is targeting industries with regulated, repeatable inspection work that can support subscription-style services. - The oil and gas push also places ZenaTech in a sector where drone adoption is already underway, but still has room for expansion.

What’s next: - ZenaTech said it will continue building its global business and expanding its network of service locations. - The company also expects to keep integrating drones and new services across acquired operations. - Passley said ZenaTech anticipates setting new benchmarks in the near term. - The company’s forward-looking priorities include growth, additional acquisitions and broader AI-driven drone adoption across its service lines.

The bottom line: - ZenaTech is turning acquisitions into a faster route into regulated, drone-ready markets, with oil and gas now part of that plan.