ACSL and Draganfly sign exclusive Canadian distribution and integration agreement for SOTEN

ACSL, Japan's largest drone manufacturer, and Vancouver-based Draganfly have signed an exclusive master distributor agreement making Draganfly the sole Canadian distributor of ACSL's SOTEN drone platform, effective June 2026. The agreement also includes a technical integration layer enabling cross-platform interoperability between the two companies' hardware.

The supply chain context

The partnership arrives as governments and enterprise customers across North America accelerate their search for alternatives to Chinese-made drone platforms. Regulatory scrutiny of DJI and other Chinese drone manufacturers has tightened in the United States, and Canadian public safety agencies and enterprise buyers face the same procurement pressure. SOTEN's NDAA compliance is not incidental to the deal; it is the reason a Japanese manufacturer and a Canadian distributor are building this arrangement now rather than in a less regulated environment. The same dynamic has driven a wave of non-Chinese drone partnerships across North America in the past 18 months, including Unusual Machines' acquisition of Upgrade Energy announced the same week for domestic US battery supply.

The product and the integration

SOTEN is a compact, multi-mission quadcopter built around a swappable payload architecture supporting four camera configurations: a 20MP 1-inch sensor camera with a mechanical shutter, the SAMO dual thermal-optical system, a multi-spectral option, and an optical zoom camera. The technical integration component makes certain Draganfly platforms, including the Apex and Commander 3XL, compatible with SOTEN's swappable camera payloads and the ACSL TAITEN Smart Controller, a rugged IP54-rated ground control station with a 7-inch 1,500-nit screen. Operators can build drone programmes combining hardware from both companies and control platforms through the ACSL TAITEN station.

That interoperability is the more consequential part of the agreement. A pure distribution deal would give Draganfly a product to sell; cross-platform payload and controller compatibility gives customers a reason to buy both systems and build workflows that span both product lines.

The companies

Draganfly has operated for more than 25 years and is listed on the NASDAQ, CSE, and FSE. Its existing drone portfolio spans the Apex, Commander 3XL, and Heavy Lift platforms, supporting payloads from 6.6 to over 100 pounds across public safety, agriculture, industrial inspection, and defence markets. The company reported Q4 2025 revenue of $1.91 million, an 18.5% year-over-year increase, though it reported a widening comprehensive loss of $9.3 million for the period. Analysts at H.C. Wainwright and Needham both carry Buy ratings on the stock. Draganfly also announced the day after this deal that its Flex FPV drone had been selected by two additional US Department of War units, indicating growing defence traction alongside the commercial distribution push.

ACSL has already seen meaningful adoption of the SOTEN platform in the US market. CEO Cynthia Huang cited strong customer feedback on the modular design and said once SOTEN is incorporated into a workflow it becomes a go-to choice for multiple missions.

Maturity

No financial terms, revenue commitments, or pricing for the distribution agreement were disclosed. The announcement focuses on product availability and technical integration rather than transaction values. SOTEN becomes available through Draganfly in Canada in June 2026; the cross-platform integration covers selected Apex and Commander 3XL systems. No first customers or deployment targets have been named.

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