Drone Stocks Fly As Defense Secretary Fast-Tracks Drone Production, Deployment

Zinger Key PointsDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth rescinds restrictive policies regarding drone production and deployment.Several drone-related stocks are moving higher in extended trading Thursday.Up Next: Get 5 Dark Horse Stocks Wall Street Is Quietly Loading Up OnDrone stocks are taking off after hours Thursday after Defense SecretaryPete Hegsethissued new orders to fast-trackdrone manufacturing and deployment.What Happened:In avideoposted on X after the market close on Thursday, Hegseth announced he was signing memos to rescind restrictive policies regarding drone production and deployment.The memos, which are being shared by various accounts across social platforms, state that Hegseth plans to delegate authorities to procure and operate drones, deemed “vital” technology.“Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions, especially when it comes to harnessing technologies we invented but were slow to pursue. Drone technology is advancing so rapidly, our major risk is risk-avoidance. The Department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off,” Hegseth wrote in one of the memos.Several drone-related stocks were moving higher in Thursday’s after-hours session.Red Cat Holdings IncRCATshares were up 13.6% at $7.70,AeroVironment IncAVAVshares were up 3.34% at $245.50,Unusual Machines, IncUMACshares were up 11.6% at $9.72 andAgEagle Aerial Systems IncUAVSshares were up 11% at $1.36.Ondas Holdings IncONDSshares were up 8.96% at $2.18 andKratos Defense & Security Solutions IncKTOSshares were up 3.48% at $47.88.The news comes after PresidentDonald Trumpsignedexecutive ordersin June aimed at strengthening domestic drone production and securing American airspace. The orders said the U.S. was enabling routine beyond line-of-sight operations to empower the domestic drone economy and addressing growing threats of foreign misuse of drones inside U.S. airspace.Loading...Loading...Read Next:Forget Tech—Trump Just Made Defense The Hottest Trade On Wall StreetPhoto: Shutterstock.RCATRed Cat Holdings Inc$7.6110.4%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it?Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock – anytime.Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum98.29GrowthN/AQualityN/AValue3.10Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewAVAVAeroVironment Inc$246.404.07%KTOSKratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc$47.803.87%ONDSOndas Holdings Inc$2.1818.5%UAVSAgEagle Aerial Systems Inc$1.3815.0%UMACUnusual Machines Inc$9.5918.4%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2025 Benzinga.com. . .Posted In:GovernmentNewsMoverswhy it's moving