(via TheNewswire)

• Strategic milestone expands integrated defense platform with counter-drone systems and advanced security screening  

• Advancing Aether’s evolution into a provider of rapidly deployable security solutions for military, law enforcement, border security, and critical infrastructure markets  

VANCOUVER, BC – TheNewswire - April 2, 2026 – Aether Global Innovations Corp. (CSE: AETH) (OTC: AETHF) (Frankfurt: 4XA) (WKN# A2N8RH) (“ Aether ” or the “ Company ”), a defense and security technology company, announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement dated April 1, 2026 (the “ Agreement ”) to acquire (the “ Proposed Transaction ”) 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Arion Defense Inc. (“ Arion ”).

"Arion will bring us proprietary security technologies and revenue participation opportunities, while our current Bravo Zulu and UAVionics partnerships extend our mission coverage from counter-UAV and long-range ISR through to advanced screening.” said Rick Unrau, Chief Executive Officer of Aether Global Innovations. “Together, these capabilities will support a more complete security offering that we believe will enhance our ability to pursue near-term commercial deployments and integrated security programs."

The Agreement replaces the non-binding letter of intent between Arion and the Company announced on December 10, 2025.

Building an Integrated Security Platform

Over the past six months, Aether has restructured its operations and executed complementary agency and partnership agreements designed to support a capital-efficient, integration-focused growth strategy. The Proposed Transaction will build on these steps by adding proprietary technologies and revenue participation pathways.

Arion contributes two core capabilities that will expand Aether's addressable market:

• Counter-Drone Systems: Arion holds a participation interest, via partners Bravo Zulu Drone Defense Inc. and Jatayu Unmanned Technologies Pvt. Ltd., in field deployed counter UAV systems used internationally. These multi sensor platforms fuse RF, radar, optical, and acoustic detection with AI enabled jamming to defeat unauthorized drones, with South Asian military trials underway.  

• Footwear Screening Platform: Arion holds an exclusive Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) patent license for its Footwear Screening Platform ( FSP ”), which uses millimeter-wave imaging and AI-driven analysis to detect concealed threats in footwear without removal. This enables higher throughput, more user friendly screening at airports, borders, and other high security venues while closing a known gap in current protocols.  

These technologies complement Aether’s existing commercial relationships established over the past six months:

• • Exclusive Canadian Agency Agreement with Bravo Zulu Drone Defense: This agreement provides Aether with distribution and promotion rights for counter-UAV systems across Canadian military, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure markets, and access to field-tested technology and active customer engagement.  

  • Canadian Agency Agreement with UAVionics: This agreement establishes Aether as the Canadian representative for UAVionics' ISR-focused unmanned systems, including long-range platforms and related services designed for surveillance, reconnaissance, and monitoring applications across defense and civil markets.  

Together, these integrated capabilities are intended to position Aether to deliver comprehensive security solutions spanning airspace security, long-range ISR, and physical screening, creating synergies that enhance the Company's competitive positioning and ability to pursue coordinated deployments that traditional single-product vendors cannot match.

Strategic Rationale and Value Creation

The Company’s strategic rationale for pursuing the Proposed Transaction is as follows:

• Near-term revenue potential: Arion’s interests in active counter drone deployments and its FSP technology will provide potential revenue pathways via product sales and licensing.  

• Customer access: The Proposed Transaction will deepen Aether’s reach into defense, law enforcement, border security, transportation security, and critical infrastructure customers.  

• Technology edge: The exclusive PNNL licensed FSP will address a key screening gap, while Arion’s counter drone exposure will enhance Aether’s Bravo Zulu relationship and C UAS positioning.  

• Scalable platform: Combining these assets under one platform will enable Aether to pursue larger, multi domain security programs requiring integrated solutions.  

• Corporate profile enhancement: The Proposed Transaction will reinforce Aether’s profile as a pure play defense and security technology company aligned with themes like counter drone, ISR, and infrastructure protection.  

Platform Strategy and Future Growth

Through the Proposed Transaction, Aether has identified a proven private-sector operator with established revenue, intellectual property, and government relationships and it intends to scale the Arion business through public-market capital access, operational integration, and global distribution capabilities.

Aether aims to operate in this opportunity space by connecting proven innovators with capital, public-market access, and distribution reach to help them scale. This model is intended to provide both near-term cash flow visibility and long-term strategic upside, as the Company builds a portfolio of synergistic technologies serving overlapping customer bases.

Proposed Transaction Details

Pursuant to the Agreement, Aether has agreed to acquire 100% of the 20,156,994 currently issued and outstanding common shares of Arion (the “ Arion Company Shares ”) in consideration for an aggregate of 48,376,786 common shares of the Company (the “ Aether Consideration Shares ”), representing an exchange ratio of approximately 2.4 Aether Consideration Shares for each Arion Company Share, at a deemed issue price of $0.15 per share, which deemed price per share represents a 25% discount to the closing market price of the Company’s shares on the date of execution. The Proposed Transaction will constitute a “Fundamental Change” under Policy 8 of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “ Exchange ”) and will therefore be subject to the approval of the Exchange and the approval of the Company's shareholders, among other customary conditions precedent.

In connection with the Proposed Transaction, Arion intends to undertake a non-brokered private placement offering of a minimum of 7,142,857 units of Arion (each, an “ Arion Unit ”), at a price of $0.336 per Arion Unit, for minimum aggregate gross proceeds of $1,000,000 (the “ Arion Financing ”). Each Unit will be composed of one (1) common share of Arion (an “ Arion Financing Share ”) and one-half of one (1/2) common share purchase warrant of Arion (each whole warrant, an “ Arion Financing Warrant ”), exercisable at $0.60 for three years from issuance. Pursuant to the Agreement, upon completion of the Proposed Transaction, each Arion Financing Share will be exchanged for 2.4 common shares of the Company (the “ Aether Financing Shares ”) and each Arion Financing Warrant will become exercisable into 2.4 common shares of the Company (each whole share, an “ Aether Financing Warrant Share ”) at an exercise price of $0.25 per Aether Financing Warrant Share.

In connection with the Proposed Transaction, the Company intends to: (i) change its name to a name to be agreed upon (the " Name Change "); (ii) change its stock exchange ticker symbol to a symbol to be determined between the parties and acceptable to the CSE; and (iii) reconstitute its board of directors and management team. The names and titles of the new directors and officers of the Company following the Proposed Transaction (the “ Resulting Issuer ”) will be announced in a subsequent news release once finalized.

In connection with the Proposed Transaction and pursuant to the requirements of the CSE, the Company will file a listing statement in CSE Form 2A on its CSE issuer page and issuer profile on SEDAR+ ( www.sedarplus.ca ), which will contain details regarding the Proposed Transaction, the Company, Arion, and the Resulting Issuer.

None of the securities issued in connection with the Proposed Transaction will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " 1933 Act "), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.

About Aether Global Innovations Corp.

Aether Global Innovations Corp. (AETH) is a defense and security technology company focused on unmanned systems, counter-drone solutions, and advanced security scanning for critical infrastructure and high-value public and private sites. Aether operates a disciplined platform model, acquiring and partnering with proven operators that have established revenue, intellectual property, and government relationships, then scaling these assets through integration, capital deployment, and global distribution. By combining counter-UAV capabilities, ISR-oriented unmanned systems, and advanced screening technologies, Aether aims to deliver rapidly deployable, mission-focused solutions that enhance the safety, resilience, and operational awareness of its customers. For more information, visit: www.aethergic.com .

ON BEHALF OF THE AETHER GLOBAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rick Unrau

Chief Executive Officer

(403) 466-4414

Susan Xu

Investor Relations

aetherIR@allianceadvisors.com

Forward‑Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, which are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the anticipated completion of the Proposed Transaction; the expected benefits and strategic rationale of the Proposed Transaction, including the integration of Arion's counter-drone and footwear screening technologies into Aether's platform; anticipated revenue pathways from Arion's participation interests in counter-UAV deployments and its FSP; the expected expansion of Aether's addressable market and customer reach across defense, law enforcement, border security, and critical infrastructure markets; the commercialization of counter-drone and advanced screening technologies in Canadian and international markets; the anticipated closing of the Proposed Transaction on or about the date referenced herein, subject to regulatory and exchange approvals; Aether's broader strategic roadmap, including potential uplisting and future acquisition and partnership opportunities; the regulatory and shareholder approvals required to complete the Proposed Transaction; the terms and conditions of the Proposed Transaction; the completion of the Name Change and change in stock exchange ticker symbol; the completion of the Arion Financing; the composition of the board of the Resulting Issuer; and Aether’s filing of the CSE Form 2A listing statement.

Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words such as “anticipates”, “expects”, “plans”, “intends”, “believes”, “proposes”, “potential”, "scheduled", "may", "will", "could", "would", "should", "might", "project", "estimate", "continue", "expect", "intend", "forecast", "future", and similar expressions or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, assumptions and beliefs, including assumptions regarding: the parties’ ability to complete the Proposed Transaction; Aether’s ability to realize the expected benefits and strategic rationale of the Proposed Transaction, including the integration of Arion's counter-drone and footwear screening technologies into Aether's platform; Aether’s ability to realize the anticipated revenue pathways from Arion's participation interests in counter-UAV deployments and its FSP; the Proposed Transaction resulting in the expansion of Aether's addressable market and customer reach across defense, law enforcement, border security, and critical infrastructure markets; the Proposed Transaction resulting in the commercialization of counter-drone and advanced screening technologies in Canadian and international markets; the parties’ ability to close the Proposed Transaction on or about the date referenced herein, subject to regulatory and exchange approvals; the parties’ ability to obtain the regulatory and shareholder approvals required to complete the Proposed Transaction; Aether’s ability to complete the Name Change and change in stock exchange ticker symbol; Arion’s ability to complete the Arion Financing; Aether’s ability to file the CSE Form 2A listing statement; and the parties’ ability to perform their obligations under the Agreement.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to: the Proposed Transaction may not be completed on the anticipated timeline or at all; failure to satisfy one or more conditions to closing; the parties' inability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction; the parties’ inability to obtain the regulatory and shareholder approvals required to complete the Proposed Transaction; Arion’s inability to complete the Arion Financing; Aether’s inability to complete the Name Change and change in stock exchange ticker symbol; Aether’s inability to file the CSE Form 2A listing statement; risks related to the commercialization of the FSP and counter-drone technologies and general economic conditions; industry trends; and regulatory and exchange approvals.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

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