ONDS Stock Could Have Made You A Millionaire If You Invested $100,000 A Year Ago, Thanks To Drone Defense Boom

• Ondas stock has surged 1,576% in the last twelve months, racing past its rivals.
• Beyond drones, the company has expanded into military software, communications and automation through acquisitions.
• President Donald Trump’s consideration of financial support for U.S. drone manufacturers has fanned interest further in the stock. 

Ondas Holdings (ONDS) has become one of the standout performers in the U.S. defense sector, posting a gain of roughly 1,576% in the last 12 months.

An investor who committed $100,000 to Ondas in May 2025 and held the shares through May this year would have turned that investment into approximately $1.676 million, making them a millionaire in just a year.  

Ondas’ rivals, including AeroVironment (AVAV), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS), Unusual Machines (UMAC), and Red Cat (RCAT) gained between 33% and 384% in the same period. 

ONDS’ Growth Backed By Operations

Ondas’s rapid ascent reflects a broader shift in U.S. defense priorities, where autonomous systems and local manufacturing capabilities have become central themes.

Rather than concentrating solely on drone manufacturing, the company has expanded into software, communications infrastructure and automation systems, positioning itself to participate in multiple segments of the growing autonomous technology market.

Ondas strengthened its position through acquisitions and operational expansion. In May, Ondas acquired Omnisys Ltd. in a stock-for-stock deal valued at about $196.6 million, adding AI-powered military software that helps armed forces analyze data and make faster decisions. 

Earlier in the year, Ondas also agreed to buy Mistral Inc. for around $175 million, giving it stronger ties to U.S. military and government programs while boosting its backlog of projects. The company further expanded its defense business by acquiring Bird Aerosystems, which develops airborne defense and surveillance systems, as well as INDO Earth Moving Ltd. and Rotron Aerospace. 

Ondas’ stock rose 1.3% in early premarket trading on Monday. 

Ondas’ Financial Performance Draws Interest

Ondas also posted a strong first-quarter (Q1) performance in May, reporting record revenue, expanding margins, and a larger project pipeline as demand for autonomous defense and counter-drone technologies continued to grow. 

Ondas reported $50.1 million in first-quarter revenue, up 1,065% from a year earlier. Gross profit climbed to $24.7 million, with a strong 49% gross margin. The company also ended the quarter with a solid financial position, holding $1.48 billion in cash and cash equivalents. 

Ondas increased its full-year 2026 revenue target to at least $390 million. This is up from the $375 million outlook the company provided just seven weeks prior.

The biggest catalyst was President Donald Trump's consideration of financial support for domestic drone makers through loans and possible government ownership stakes. 

The proposed support is tied to the Pentagon’s “Drone Dominance” initiative, which aims to deploy about 300,000 low-cost attack drones by the end of 2027. Investors who entered Ondas 12 months ago saw the company transform from a lightly followed micro-cap with a $110 million market capitalization into a prominent defense technology name with over $6.6 billion in market capitalization. 

What ONDS Retail Traders Are Saying

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained in ‘extremely bullish’ territory. 

A user said, “zip tie a grenade to a drone and you are just as effective as an expensive missile.  Every country is going to have to invest in CUAS systems.”

Another user said, “Drones are trending hard right now. And I dont think it’s going away anytime soon~.”

ONDS stock has gained over 35% year-to-date. 

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