Thanks to President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, drone stocks, such as
ZenaTech (NASDAQ: ZENA), AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS), Red Cat Holdings (NASDAQ: RCAT), and Leonardo DRS Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) have just started to take off.
For one, President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” unlocks unlocked federal funding for domestic production, makes US skies safer eliminating Chinese-made drones and components, cuts outdated certification and procurement barriers, and fast-tracks deployment directly to frontline units. It also provides $33 billion in direct spending for advanced drones, autonomous systems, and broader US defense modernization.
Two, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s latest policy directive, Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance, just made it easier for American drone companies—especially those building Group 1 and 2 affordable drone systems—to sell directly to the military, scale production, and innovate without delays from traditional defense procurement bottlenecks including Blue UAS certification timelines.
In addition, "Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year's casualties in Ukraine. Our adversaries collectively produce millions of cheap drones each year," said Emil Michael, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, “noting the U.S. military is lacking needed quantities of lethal small drones,” as reported by Defense.gov.
All of which reminds us that drones are an essential tool for the U.S. government and defense.
ZenaTech, for example, just confirmed that under the latest DoD policy directives, its entire portfolio of ZenaDrone drones qualify as Group 1–2 expendable assets and are now enabled for direct purchases even for prototypes, by field commanders for both training and real-world missions.
Plus, for an idea of how impressive those drones are, ZenaTech Just Released Video of ZenaDrone’s IQ Nano Indoor Inventory AI Drone for US Defense and Government
The company just released an exclusive video of ZenaDrone’s IQ Nano indoor drone for inventory management and security applications.
The video footage found here showcases the drone’s precision navigation in complex warehouse environments for rapid stock-taking and real-time data integration—capabilities that can improve US military logistics and bolsters supply chain modernization.
“With the IQ Nano, we are delivering more than a drone—we’re deploying a mission-critical logistics asset built for a technologically advanced military,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. “The US federal government, including the Department of Defense, operates over a billion square feet of warehouse and storage space globally, representing a large opportunity. Our drone is also designed to operate where GPS fails and risks run high for unmatched precision, automation, and situational awareness. We will commence demonstrations of this product in August, a key step in our go-to-market plan.”
In addition, the company has already initiated submission for the Green UAS certification - the traditional required pathway to Blue UAS (Unmanned Autonomous Systems) approval for US military procurement listing.
It’s also creating a $355.55 billion Drone as a Service (DaaS) opportunity.
By 2032, the DaaS market could be worth about $355.55 billion, as noted by Research and Markets. “The impetus behind this remarkable surge includes the escalating integration of drones into business applications, the enhanced efficiency and cost-effectiveness offered by DaaS, advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies, and the increasing outsourcing of drone-based services,” they added.
Within the industry, we can look at companies, like ZenaTech, for example.
Unlike its peers, ZENA offers a unique DaaS AI-powered drone solution, where clients don’t need to purchase or even manage their own drone hardware and software.
In addition, ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model offers both business and government customers reduced costs and convenience to utilize drones to streamline legacy processes and manual tasks such as inspections, surveying, maintenance, precision agriculture and inventory management.
There also no need to purchase drone hardware and software, find a drone pilot, manage maintenance and operation, or acquire regulatory approvals.
Other related developments from around the markets include:
AeroVironment announced today that its Wildcat uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) has achieved a series of development milestones in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Early VTOL Aircraft Demonstration (EVADE). Wildcat has successfully completed VTOL-to-forward-flight transitions, validated its core flight and propulsion systems, and begun integrating critical mission payloads—demonstrating rapid progress toward an operationally relevant capability. Wildcat is a Group 3, tail-sitting vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed for launch and recovery from ship decks in denied and distributed maritime environments. Its compact footprint, autonomous launch and recovery, and robust flight performance across high sea states make it a flexible and scalable solution for contested littoral operations.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, today announced plans to open a new advanced manufacturing facility in Bristow, Oklahoma to produce its GEK (GE Aerospace-Kratos) family of turbojet engines, with an initial focus on the GEK800. The 50,000-square-foot facility, located on 20 acres, is expected to expand to 100,000 square feet and house up to five GEK engine production lines and initial output of 500 engines annually, supporting thrust classes from 600 to 6000 pounds. Occupancy is expected in mid-2026, with operations fully ramped by Q4 2026. The facility will include three small engine (200-2000 lbf thrust) test cells, which are expected to be operational in 2027, thanks to approved grant funding from the State of Oklahoma. The initial engine line is expected to create 60 high-quality jobs at the site, with key positions beginning recruitment in late 2025 and general hiring in Q1 2026. Each additional production line is expected to add approximately 45 new jobs.
Red Cat Holdings, a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, today issued a statement of support for a series of executive orders from the White House that advance U.S. leadership in uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and reinforce the resilience of America’s domestic industrial base. The executive actions are expected to remove regulatory barriers and modernize federal approval processes to prioritize U.S.-manufactured drones. Additional provisions include expanded detection and mitigation authority, and streamlined regulations to accelerate the deployment of UAS across federal and commercial sectors. “These executive orders send a clear signal that the U.S. is serious about enabling a secure domestic drone industry that supports mission-critical outcomes for the U.S. and its allies,” said Brendan Stewart, VP of Regulatory Affairs at Red Cat. “This level of policy alignment removes barriers to fielding trusted, American-made systems at scale. Red Cat stands ready to meet this moment with its proven, electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing systems that utilize advanced AI and computer vision solutions from partners including Palantir, Palladyne AI, Athena AI and Primordial Labs.”
Leonardo DRS Inc. announced that it has been awarded a $41 million contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command to continue delivering critical combat management system hardware for U.S. Navy surface combatants, allied naval forces, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Under the contract, Leonardo DRS will provide a range of advanced hardware—including multi-screen consoles, displays, and peripheral equipment—designed to support the AEGIS Combat System and Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) deployed on a variety of large and small deck ships. The hardware serves as the primary operator interface for sailors to gather, process, and display vital battlespace information and make rapid tactical decisions. The system’s open architecture design ensures interoperability and scalability across current and future platforms.
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