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Selection as a Qualified Supplier Deepens Draganfly’s Role Within Canada’s Revamped Defence Procurement Ecosystem, as Government Plans $180 Billion in Defence Procurement Over the Next Decade

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Ottawa, ON, Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an award-winning, industry-leading developer of drone solutions and systems, today announced that it has been selected as a Qualified Supplier under the Government of Canada’s Defence Drone Initiative (“DDI”) Marketplace as of August 28, 2026, with qualification across all five capability streams of the DDI Marketplace.

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The acceptance into a DDI Request for Supply Arrangement establishes Draganfly as a qualified supplier within the DDI Marketplace and provides the Company with a pathway for contract opportunities supporting the Canadian Armed Forces (“CAF”) and the Canadian Coast Guard involving uncrewed and autonomous systems and related capabilities. Draganfly has qualified across all five DDI streams: UxS and Counter-UxS Systems; C2, Communications, Data, EW and Cyber Systems; Integration, Interoperability and Engineering Services; Test, Evaluation and Training; and Innovation and Experimentation.

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Launched by the Government of Canada in July 2026 and led collaboratively by the Department of National Defence and the Defence Investment Agency, the Defence Drone Initiative is designed to accelerate the development, testing, adaptation and production of Canadian uncrewed and autonomous systems while strengthening domestic defence industrial capacity and sovereign capability.

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The DDI Marketplace is being established as Canada undertakes a significant expansion of domestic defence investment. The Government of Canada has announced plans to invest approximately $180 billion in direct defence procurement over the next decade1 and has identified uncrewed and autonomous systems as one of ten sovereign capability priorities under Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy. The strategy also includes a $105 million investment over three years in a national Drone Innovation Hub1 intended to advance the research, development and commercialization of Canadian drone and counter-drone technologies.

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“Draganfly has spent more than 25 years developing drone technology in Canada, and we believe the opportunity for Canadian-developed systems has never been greater,” said Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly. “The Defence Drone Initiative creates a practical pathway for industry and government to work together to evaluate, adapt and deploy capabilities against real operational requirements. Our focus is on delivering systems that can evolve quickly with the mission and provide Canadian operators with technology that is built, supported and advanced here at home.”

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Draganfly has continued to expand its engagement with Canada’s defence ecosystem throughout 2026. The Company participated in the Canadian Army’s Collaborative Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Working Group under MINERVA and subsequently conducted a dedicated capabilities demonstration for members of the Canadian Armed Forces at Area X.O in Ottawa.

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Draganfly’s defence portfolio includes the Flex FPV tactical system, Apex tactical ISR platform, Commander 3XL, Heavy Lift systems and longer-range autonomous platforms, supported by modular payloads, secure communications, autonomy, software and command-and-control technologies. The Company’s approach is designed around adaptable systems that can be configured and integrated according to evolving operational requirements.