Which Drone Stock Will Dominate the Next War: AVAV, KTOS, or ONDS?

3 days ago 9

Rich Duprey

Sun, May 3, 2026 astatine 9:56 AM CDT 5 min read

Quick Read

  • AeroVironment (AVAV) generated $821M successful fiscal 2025 gross (up 14.5% year-over-year) and carries a $1.1B funded backlog for its battle-tested Switchblade loitering munitions. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) reported 2025 gross of $1.35B (up 18.5%) with its XQ-58 Valkyrie loyal wingman level driving 12.1% integrated maturation successful Q4, portion Ondas Holdings (ONDS) exploded 605% to $50.7M successful 2025 gross and raised 2026 guidance to astatine slightest $375M connected drone-in-a-box and counter-UAS deployments.

  • Ukraine and Middle East combat has proven that low-cost, expendable drone swarms and loitering munitions overwhelm accepted aerial defenses, shifting defence procurement toward attritable systems that AeroVironment, Kratos, and Ondas are positioned to proviso astatine scale.

  • The expert who called NVIDIA successful 2010 conscionable named his apical 10 stocks and AeroVironment wasn't 1 of them. Get them present FREE.

Tank warfare defined World War II. German blitzkrieg tactics showed however armored columns could portion done lines erstwhile supported by aerial powerfulness and infantry. Today, drones play that aforesaid disruptive relation successful Ukraine and the Middle East. Low-cost, expendable systems overwhelm costly defenses, present precision strikes, and supply persistent intelligence. Battle-tested swarms and loitering munitions person already shifted tactics. Investors wonderment which companies volition proviso the adjacent decisive edge.

Not each drones are created equal. Large Reaper-style platforms connection long-endurance surveillance but travel with precocious costs and vulnerability. Textron (NYSE:TXT) and others nutrient mean systems for circumstantial missions. The existent enactment for retail investors sits successful lightweight, attritable, and disposable categories -- systems inexpensive capable to suffer successful measurement but astute capable to matter. AeroVironment (NASDAQ:AVAV), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS), and Ondas (NASDAQ:ONDS) each people slices of this market, truthful let's spot which 1 beryllium worthy starring your portfolio

AeroVironment (AVAV)

AeroVironment specializes successful small, man-portable loitering munitions similar the Switchblade 300, 400, and 600 families. These tube-launched “kamikaze” drones loiter, place targets, and onslaught with precision. The Switchblade 300 handles unit and airy vehicles; the 600 tackles armor. Recent variants similar the 400 span the spread for medium-range anti-armor work.

The expert who called NVIDIA successful 2010 conscionable named his apical 10 stocks and AeroVironment wasn't 1 of them. Get them present FREE.

The dronemaker has delivered beardown growth. Fiscal 2025 gross reached $821 million, up 14.5% year-over-year. Trailing 12 months results done aboriginal 2026 deed astir $1.61 cardinal aft the BlueHalo acquisition boosted scale. Fiscal Q3 gross jumped 143% to $408 million, though the institution aboriginal adjusted full-year guidance downward to $1.85 cardinal to $1.95 cardinal amid backing delays. AeroVironment's funded backlog stood astatine $1.1 billion.

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