ZenaDrone, a subsidiary of ZenaTech, is building the first full prototype of its ZenaDrone 2000 heavy-lift autonomous interceptor, with initial flight testing expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
The platform is being developed to counter hostile drones and coordinated swarm attacks across land and maritime environments. Assembly is progressing at ZenaDrone’s facility in Sharjah, UAE, as part of an integrated defense system designed to fill a gap between small, single-use interceptors and costly missile-based air defense systems.
Recent development milestones include completion of the airframe and folding arm structure, bench testing of the gasoline propulsion system and 36-inch propellers, and ground testing of the flight controller and autonomy software.
The gasoline-powered ZenaDrone 2000 has a specified maximum takeoff weight of 200 kg and a payload capacity of 40 kg, designed to accommodate heavier sensors and counter-drone effectors. Its target hover endurance exceeds four hours, while onboard cameras are designed to provide 360-degree coverage. The aircraft measures 180.4 × 365.8 cm when deployed and 224.8 × 82.0 cm in its folded configuration.
The platform is intended to operate alongside ZenaDrone’s lower-cost Interceptor P-1, which recently began flight testing, as part of a layered defense system. Under this proposed approach, the ZenaDrone 2000 would provide sustained airborne surveillance and coordination over military bases, ports, vessels and border crossings, while P-1 interceptors engage identified threats.
Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of ZenaTech, commented, “The ZenaDrone 2000 is the largest and most capable aircraft we have built, and we are taking the time to get the prototype right before it flies. Militaries, navies and border agencies need counter-drone systems that can stay on station for hours and respond to many threats at once, at a cost they can field at scale. With the Interceptor P-1 already inflight testing and the ZenaDrone 2000 moving through its build, we are assembling a complete, affordable counter-UAS layer for the U.S., our allies and partners in the Middle East for a counter-UAS market that industry analysts indicate could exceed USD $20 billion by 2030.”
Recent conflicts across the Middle East and beyond have highlighted the cost imbalance associated with counter-UAS defense, with interceptor missiles costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars being deployed against hostile drones potentially valued at $20,000. The ability to deploy swarms of low-cost, slow-moving aerial threats presents further economic challenges for conventional defense systems, driving interest in more affordable, scalable drone-based alternatives.
Once prototype assembly is complete, the initial flight testing phase will evaluate takeoff, hover and landing at full and partial payload, progress toward the target hover endurance of more than four hours, the 360-degree detection system and autonomous navigation.
Subsequent phases are expected to introduce autonomous threat pursuit, multi-target engagement, swarm coordination with the Interceptor P-1, and maritime launch and recovery using ZenaDrone’s IQ Glider marine launch and refueling station.
