The commercial drone industry is on the verge of major expansion. Once limited to hobbyists and specialized pilots, unmanned aerial systems are becoming essential tools across agriculture, defense, construction, logistics, and public safety. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global commercial drone market is expected to grow from $10.2 billion in 2023 to more than $35 billion by 2030, driven by regulatory approvals, advances in automation, and wider adoption by enterprise and government users.
In the United States, the FAA is preparing to finalize Part 108, a long-anticipated rule enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. This change could remove one of the largest barriers to scale, allowing drones to operate more like infrastructure and less like line-of-sight tools. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions and national security concerns are accelerating investment in domestic drone capabilities, with the U.S. and its allies prioritizing sovereign manufacturing and defense-grade platforms.
As regulation catches up with technology and investment picks up, the drone sector is entering a new era of utility and scale. Here are a few stocks worth watching in this evolving market.
ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) is emerging as a first mover in converting legacy land survey and field service operations into efficient, scalable platforms powered by autonomous drones and a Drone as a Service (DaaS) model. The company’s strategy centers on acquiring traditional service providers—such as surveying firms, inspection vendors, and environmental contractors—and transforming them into subscription-based drone operations. These bolt-on acquisitions give ZenaTech direct access to customers and revenue while replacing outdated manual workflows with high-efficiency aerial services.
In the first quarter of 2025, ZenaTech reported $1.13 million in revenue, a 92 percent year-over-year increase, driven by both organic growth and the acquisitions of Oregon-based Weddle Surveying and Florida’s KJM Land Surveying. In May, the company moved to acquire a third Florida land survey firm, which would bring its national footprint to five survey operations. Each acquisition accelerates recurring revenue and expands ZenaTech’s customer base across regional markets.
Through its DaaS model, ZenaTech provides commercial and government customers with access to advanced drone services without the need for capital investments, pilot training, or regulatory approvals. Using the ZenaDrone 1000 and IQ Series platforms, clients receive thermal imaging, LiDAR, GPS mapping, and automated analytics that can complete inspections and surveys in hours instead of weeks. This data-rich model drives faster decision-making across construction, energy, real estate, agriculture, and public sector operations.
Policy is becoming a tailwind. The June 6 White House executive order fast-tracked FAA approvals for beyond visual line of sight drone missions and elevated procurement of U.S.-made drones in both commercial and defense markets. ZenaTech is working toward Green and Blue UAS certifications to fully access these expanding federal opportunities and position itself as a key provider of secure, NDAA-compliant drone systems.
While land surveying has been the initial focus, ZenaTech’s approach is highly replicable. The company is actively expanding into additional verticals like powerline inspection, industrial maintenance, security monitoring, and even wildfire forecasting. Its Clear Sky initiative in the Western U.S. uses AI and quantum computing to model environmental risks using drone swarms, demonstrating the platform’s adaptability and long-term value creation.
With over 20 acquisition targets in its pipeline and a clear national strategy to modernize field operations across sectors, ZenaTech represents a differentiated play on the future of drone-powered infrastructure. For investors seeking exposure to recurring-revenue platforms in underserved industrial markets, ZENA offers a compelling opportunity.
Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ: ONDS) is emerging as a key player in the transformation of government and commercial operations through autonomous drone innovation. Its Ondas Autonomous Systems unit, comprising American Robotics and Airobotics, is actively replacing legacy infrastructure and surveillance workflows with advanced drone platforms built for round-the-clock deployment and remote operations.
The Optimus System, the first FAA-certified small UAS for autonomous security and data capture, recently secured a $14.3 million order from a major defense customer, marking the largest single purchase in the company’s history. That deal, alongside new contracts across Europe and the Middle East, has helped push Ondas’ drone revenue backlog to $28.7 million, up sharply from $10 million at the start of 2025. As of Q1, the company reported $4.2 million in revenue, driven almost entirely by its drone business, and reaffirmed a full-year revenue outlook of at least $25 million.
Ondas is also gaining momentum with its Iron Drone Raider counter-UAS platform and the newly adopted Kestrel drone detection system, which was recently selected by a major US urban public safety agency. These platforms have demonstrated strong traction across military, homeland security, and critical infrastructure markets.
The company’s regulatory head start is a competitive advantage. Ondas was the first to receive FAA approval for autonomous BVLOS operations without on-site personnel, opening the door to scalable drone deployments across sensitive, high-value applications. As the FAA accelerates its move toward broader BVLOS rulemaking, ONDS stands positioned to capitalize.
With a growing global footprint, strategic partnerships with firms like Palantir and Volatus, and expanding adoption across defense and public safety sectors, Ondas offers leveraged exposure to the rise of fully autonomous aerial systems in mission-critical environments.
Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) is carving out a strategic niche as a North American drone manufacturer with deep defense and public safety traction. With over 25 years of experience in unmanned systems, Draganfly is positioned to benefit from rising demand for modular, mission-adaptable drone platforms in high-stakes environments.
Recent U.S. and Canadian defense developments have placed the company at the forefront of procurement pipelines. Draganfly’s Flex FPV system, designed for rapid deployment and multi-role functionality, has begun deliveries to a major U.S. prime contractor supporting land systems operations for allied forces. With speeds over 149 kilometers per hour and the ability to carry payloads up to 10 pounds, the platform’s modular design allows field teams to adapt it on the fly to tactical, reconnaissance, or training missions. The system’s operational validation stems from combat zone deployments and extensive testing with defense customers.
At the Global Drone Innovation and Defense Coalition Summit in Latvia, Draganfly was the only provider showcasing a fully modular FPV system and a portfolio of interoperable tactical platforms. This presence reinforced the company’s leadership in allied drone development.
Further momentum is building through its selection by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department for a border-focused drone pilot program under the U.S. Executive Order on drone dominance. This positions Draganfly to expand into homeland surveillance and smart law enforcement.
Canada’s newly announced $80 billion defense modernization initiative also includes funding for unmanned systems. Draganfly has already integrated Department of National Defence-specified communications systems into its Commander and Apex platforms, aligning with national security priorities and procurement requirements. These integrations, combined with strong operational validation like the 100 percent success rate at SMEX25 with the U.S. Army, underscore DPRO’s upside as a secure, adaptable drone provider in a rapidly scaling sector.
AgEagle Aerial Systems (NYSE: UAVS) is emerging as a quietly strategic play in the global drone ecosystem, benefiting from regulatory tailwinds, cross-border partnerships, and improved financial execution. In June, the company was once again invited to a White House policy roundtable to advise on FAA Rule Part 108, which is expected to formally authorize Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. The pending rule represents a generational inflection point for commercial drone usage in agriculture, construction, energy, and emergency response. AgEagle’s inclusion in these sessions signals its positioning as a key stakeholder in defining future drone policy and infrastructure.
While it influences policy in Washington, the company is also scaling its international footprint. In May, AgEagle announced a strategic alliance with India-based Vyom Drones to manufacture and distribute its eBee X drone system across India’s fast-growing agriculture sector. With India’s agri-drone market projected to surpass $600 million by 2030, this agreement gives AgEagle first-mover advantage in a market with 345 million acres of arable land and increasing federal support for precision farming.
Financially, the company’s Q1 2025 report showed meaningful progress. Net income swung to a $7 million profit versus a $6.3 million loss a year earlier. Gross margins improved to 58.5%, and drone sales nearly doubled. A focused reduction in operating expenses and a streamlined product strategy appear to be paying off.
In parallel, AgEagle is expanding sensor integrations through new collaborations, such as a partnership with Ascent AeroSystems to pair its RedEdge-P camera with the rugged Spirit UAV platform. The company’s ability to remain lean while diversifying revenue channels in policy, hardware, and software makes it a differentiated, small-cap drone stock positioned to benefit from domestic and international catalysts.
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