PR Newswire·Jul 30, 2026, 9:30 AM ET

Explosive Growth of Drone Technology in Oil & Gas is The Next Wave of Expansion Happening from The Sky

ZENA CVX HAL XOM OXY

Autonomous drones equipped with AI, LiDAR, & thermal cameras are replacing traditional manual surveying to improve efficiency, reduce costs, & enhance safety in the energy sector.
The global commercial drone market is projected to grow from $41 billion in 2025 to over $95 billion by 2030, with the drone surveying segment expected to reach more than $8 billion by 2033.
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA) completed its acquisition of Velocity Geomatics in July 2026 to expand its Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) offerings for regulatory & environmental compliance in Western Canada.
Western Canadian oil prices rose approximately 45% in the second quarter of 2026, driving higher producer cash flow & increased demand for ZenaTech's surveying services.
Canada's oil & gas industry is forecast to attract over $500 billion in investment over the next decade, creating long-term growth opportunities for drone-enabled infrastructure & environmental monitoring.
Chevron (NYSE: CVX), Halliburton (NYSE: HAL), ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), & Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) are actively integrating autonomous drone systems for pipeline inspections, methane detection, & asset monitoring.
ExxonMobil's Global Aerial Visual Inspection Service program has reduced inspection times by up to 60% while minimizing worker exposure to hazardous environments.
Halliburton is leading in patent filings for tethered drones & is developing R&D centers in Kuwait to address upstream operational complexities using drone technology.
Occidental Petroleum deploys an internal unmanned aircraft system program to monitor active fields, check flare stacks, & track emissions without risking worker safety.
Growing environmental regulations & the need for recurring compliance services are establishing DaaS models as a key source of recurring revenue for technology providers.