Trump Administration Seeks Funding Deals with Drone Companies
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3 days ago
0mins
The Trump administration is pursuing funding deals, potentially including equity stakes, with drone companies to boost domestic production and lower costs, The Wall Street Journal's Heather Somerville and Amrith Ramkumar report. The Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital is reviewing firms such as Performance Drone Works and Neros Technologies as part of a broader $1.1B Drone Dominance program targeting production of 300,000 low-cost attack drones by the end of 2027, according to people familiar with the matter, who note that the deal talks are in the negotiation phase. Publicly traded companies in the space include Unusual Machines (UMAC), Red Cat (RCAT), AeroVironment (AVAV), Kratos Defense (KTOS), Ondas (ONDS), EHang (EH), and Draganfly (DPRO).
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Analyst Views on UMAC
Wall Street analysts forecast UMAC stock price to fall
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 29.600
Low
16.00
Averages
18.67
High
20.00
Current: 29.600
Low
16.00
Averages
18.67
High
20.00
About UMAC
Unusual Machines, Inc. is engaged in the commercial drone industry. The Company manufactures and sells drone components and drones across a diversified brand portfolio through business-to-business (B2B) sales and a curated retail channel. The Company also retails small, acrobatic first person-view (FPV) drones and equipment directly to consumers through the curated Rotor Riot e-commerce store. Fat Shark is engaged in designing and manufacturing ultra-low latency video goggles for drone pilots and Rotor Riot. Rotor Riot is an e-commerce marketplace, backed by a community of FPV drone pilots. Fat Shark makes drone components and Rotor Riot sells them. It also develops electric motors and propulsion systems for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Its products include a Full Line of Drone Motors, Fat Shark HDO+ Headset, Aura Analog FPV Camera Module, Aura Video Transmitter (VTX), Brave F7 Flight Controller and Brave 55A 4-in-1 Electronic Speed Controller (ESC).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Funding Initiative: The Trump administration is reportedly negotiating with the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital to increase funding for U.S. drone manufacturers by approximately 1,247% in fiscal 2027, which is expected to significantly enhance the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the American drone industry.
- Market Growth Potential: According to MarketsandMarkets, the global counter-unmanned aircraft system market is projected to grow from approximately $6.64 billion in 2025 to around $20.31 billion by 2030, with North America expected to lead this growth, indicating strong demand for domestic manufacturers.
- Duke Robotics Uplisting: Duke Robotics successfully completed an underwritten public offering of approximately $9.2 million on May 18, 2026, and uplisted to Nasdaq, holding the intellectual property for the IDF-deployed Bird of Prey weapon system, which is anticipated to drive future revenue growth.
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- Strategic Investment Opportunity: By acquiring shares of Unusual Machines at $17, Ondas benefits from the Trump administration's funding for U.S. drone companies, which not only strengthens its capital base but also potentially enhances its competitive edge in the market.
- Technical Breakthrough and Market Response: Ondas shares broke through multi-month resistance on Thursday, with trading volume reaching twice the daily average within two hours of the session, indicating strong market demand for its growth potential and likely attracting more investor interest.
- Industry Collaboration and Policy Support: Ondas's partnership with industry leader Palantir and participation in the Trump administration's “Golden Dome” project further solidify its leadership in drone technology, suggesting future opportunities for government contracts and market expansion.
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- Potential Funding Support: Discussions between the Pentagon and the Office of Strategic Capital may involve loans, debt financing, and equity investments aimed at deploying 300,000 low-cost attack drones by 2027, highlighting the growing significance of drones in modern warfare.
- UMAC's Market Performance: Despite UMAC's stock trading above the analyst target price of $25.33, indicating a 14% downside risk, it maintains a 'Strong Buy' rating, reflecting investor confidence in its future growth potential.
- Investor Sentiment High: On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ONDS, RCAT, UMAC, and KTOS is extremely bullish, with 55% of participants selecting ONDS as their top long-term pick for the next five years, showcasing strong interest in the drone industry.
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- Air Force Contract Awarded: AeroVironment has secured a $20 million contract from the Air Force's research arm, focusing on the development of next-generation ceramic and ceramic matrix composite materials, which will bolster its innovation capabilities in defense and aerospace technology.
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- Policy Support Expectations: Although the Trump administration's investment plans are still in discussion, AeroVironment, as a participant in the drone sector, stands to benefit, further enhancing its market position and investment appeal.
See More
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- Stock Surge: AeroVironment's stock has risen by 23% over the past week, reflecting optimistic market sentiment regarding its growth potential, particularly in the rapidly evolving drone industry.
- Factory Expansion Investment: The federal government has approved a $20.2 million investment for AeroVironment's factory in Huntsville, Alabama, aimed at increasing the output of the Freedom Eagle-1 unmanned aircraft system, thereby enhancing the company's production capacity and competitive edge.
- New Contract Approval: AeroVironment has been awarded a $20 million contract by a research arm of the Air Force for research on next-generation ceramic and ceramic matrix composite materials, which will drive innovation in defense and aerospace technology, further solidifying its market position.
- Policy Support Potential: Although AeroVironment was not identified as one of the drone companies considered for investment by the Trump administration, its exposure in the drone sector and potential policy support may attract more investor interest, enhancing its market value.
See More
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- Economic Data Impact: The US April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations, but the unexpected 1.1% decline in April capital goods orders indicates economic recovery fragility, potentially influencing the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
- Rising Unemployment Claims: Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 5,000 to 215,000, exceeding expectations, reflecting weakness in the labor market, which may heighten investor concerns about the economic outlook.
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See More
Trump Administration Pushes Funding for Drone Manufacturing
- Funding Initiative: The Trump administration is reportedly negotiating with the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital to increase funding for U.S. drone manufacturers by approximately 1,247% in fiscal 2027, which is expected to significantly enhance the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the American drone industry.
- Market Growth Potential: According to MarketsandMarkets, the global counter-unmanned aircraft system market is projected to grow from approximately $6.64 billion in 2025 to around $20.31 billion by 2030, with North America expected to lead this growth, indicating strong demand for domestic manufacturers.
- Duke Robotics Uplisting: Duke Robotics successfully completed an underwritten public offering of approximately $9.2 million on May 18, 2026, and uplisted to Nasdaq, holding the intellectual property for the IDF-deployed Bird of Prey weapon system, which is anticipated to drive future revenue growth.
- Acquisitions and Mergers: Ondas Holdings completed its acquisition of Omnisys for approximately $196.6 million, enhancing its capabilities in multi-domain defense planning, while its merger with Mistral has brought its backlog to $457 million, demonstrating strong market consolidation capabilities.
See More
Ondas Inc.: A Pioneer in the Drone Revolution
- Revenue Growth Outlook: Ondas Inc. anticipates its annual revenue will surge from approximately $50 million in 2025 to $400 million in 2026, reflecting robust demand for drones and indicating a rapid enhancement of its market position in the defense sector.
- Strategic Investment Opportunity: By acquiring shares of Unusual Machines at $17, Ondas benefits from the Trump administration's funding for U.S. drone companies, which not only strengthens its capital base but also potentially enhances its competitive edge in the market.
- Technical Breakthrough and Market Response: Ondas shares broke through multi-month resistance on Thursday, with trading volume reaching twice the daily average within two hours of the session, indicating strong market demand for its growth potential and likely attracting more investor interest.
- Industry Collaboration and Policy Support: Ondas's partnership with industry leader Palantir and participation in the Trump administration's “Golden Dome” project further solidify its leadership in drone technology, suggesting future opportunities for government contracts and market expansion.
See More
Trump Administration Boosts Drone Manufacturing with Funding Exploration
- Drone Stock Surge: Following reports that the Trump administration is exploring funding deals to enhance domestic drone manufacturing and reduce costs, UMAC shares soared 57%, RCAT rose 33%, and ONDS jumped 23%, indicating strong market optimism for the drone sector.
- Potential Funding Support: Discussions between the Pentagon and the Office of Strategic Capital may involve loans, debt financing, and equity investments aimed at deploying 300,000 low-cost attack drones by 2027, highlighting the growing significance of drones in modern warfare.
- UMAC's Market Performance: Despite UMAC's stock trading above the analyst target price of $25.33, indicating a 14% downside risk, it maintains a 'Strong Buy' rating, reflecting investor confidence in its future growth potential.
- Investor Sentiment High: On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ONDS, RCAT, UMAC, and KTOS is extremely bullish, with 55% of participants selecting ONDS as their top long-term pick for the next five years, showcasing strong interest in the drone industry.
See More
AeroVironment Secures Government Investment and Air Force Contract
- Government Investment Approved: The U.S. federal government has approved a $20.2 million investment for AeroVironment's factory in Huntsville, Alabama, aimed at expanding the production capacity of its Freedom Eagle-1 unmanned aircraft system, thereby enhancing the company's competitiveness in the drone market.
- Air Force Contract Awarded: AeroVironment has secured a $20 million contract from the Air Force's research arm, focusing on the development of next-generation ceramic and ceramic matrix composite materials, which will bolster its innovation capabilities in defense and aerospace technology.
- Stock Price Surge: Following these positive developments, AeroVironment's stock price has risen by 23% over the past week, reflecting market confidence in its growth potential and the strong demand within the drone industry.
- Policy Support Expectations: Although the Trump administration's investment plans are still in discussion, AeroVironment, as a participant in the drone sector, stands to benefit, further enhancing its market position and investment appeal.
See More
AeroVironment Secures $20 Million Investment and Contract Boosting Stock
- Stock Surge: AeroVironment's stock has risen by 23% over the past week, reflecting optimistic market sentiment regarding its growth potential, particularly in the rapidly evolving drone industry.
- Factory Expansion Investment: The federal government has approved a $20.2 million investment for AeroVironment's factory in Huntsville, Alabama, aimed at increasing the output of the Freedom Eagle-1 unmanned aircraft system, thereby enhancing the company's production capacity and competitive edge.
- New Contract Approval: AeroVironment has been awarded a $20 million contract by a research arm of the Air Force for research on next-generation ceramic and ceramic matrix composite materials, which will drive innovation in defense and aerospace technology, further solidifying its market position.
- Policy Support Potential: Although AeroVironment was not identified as one of the drone companies considered for investment by the Trump administration, its exposure in the drone sector and potential policy support may attract more investor interest, enhancing its market value.
See More
US Stocks Close Higher, Nasdaq Hits All-Time High
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 rose by 0.58% and the Nasdaq 100 climbed 0.84%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting market optimism following the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, which may promote economic stability.
- Economic Data Impact: The US April core PCE price index increased by 3.3% year-on-year, meeting expectations, but the unexpected 1.1% decline in April capital goods orders indicates economic recovery fragility, potentially influencing the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
- Rising Unemployment Claims: Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 5,000 to 215,000, exceeding expectations, reflecting weakness in the labor market, which may heighten investor concerns about the economic outlook.
- Earnings Season Insights: As of Thursday, 83% of the 482 S&P 500 companies reported earnings above estimates, with Q1 earnings projected to grow by 12% year-on-year, demonstrating corporate resilience despite a slowdown in the tech sector.
See More
