This article looks at the 10 Best Drone Stocks to Buy Right Now.
Greg King, CEO of the Rex Drone ETF, told Fox Business on November 21 that drones have proven their mettle and utility in both Ukraine and the Middle East, and noted the active shift from militaries towards spending on unmanned aerial vehicles compared to traditional weapons.
The NYSE Arca Defense Index has returned 35% year-to-date, as of the close on November 26, comfortably outpacing the S&P 500 Index, which has gained 16% during the period, with several drone makers contributing to the robust gains.
However, King was more excited about the commercial aspect of drones, with several corporations across industries now actively embracing the technology for services such as deliveries, inspection, and monitoring. He was quoted as saying the following:
“The military has been growing steadily for a while, but with the commercial applications, whether it’s monitoring crops or inspecting pipelines or Amazon, Walmart and UPS delivering to remote areas, it’s really hard to say which of those sort of sectors within the theme are going to grow the most. That’s why we have this broad exposure to that theme.”
King told Fox Business that he anticipates the drone industry to grow between 8% to 10% per annum to touch the $60 billion mark by 2030, as more sectors adopt autonomous systems.
With that said, let’s now discuss the best drone stocks to buy right now.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Our Methodology
We reviewed ETFs with drone theme exposure and our previous articles on the subject to build a pool of stocks, including both military and non-military drone companies that develop and explore solutions to enable drone technologies to operate more efficiently. The list was narrowed to include mid-cap or higher stocks with at least 15 hedge funds holding stakes as of Q3 2025. From there, we selected the top 10 stocks with the highest average upside potential in share price based on analysts’ price targets and ranked them in ascending order. All data is as of the close of business on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
10 Best Drone Stocks to Buy Right Now
10. RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX)
Share Price Upside Potential: 11.89%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 76
RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is among the 10 Best Drone Stocks to Buy Right Now. On November 21, the company announced that its joint venture with RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems, Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems (R2S), had received a $1.25 billion contract to provide Tamir surface-to-air missiles to Israel.
The deal will also include kits and testing equipment for the Iron Dome. In the press release, the defense contractor stated that the R2S established a new facility earlier in the month in East Camden, Arkansas, to increase the production of missiles for Israel’s Iron Dome Weapon System and the United States Marine Corps’ SkyHunter air defense system.
Jonathan Casey, the CEO at R2S, welcomed the venture’s first production contract. He was quoted as saying the following:
“This is the first production contract for the R2S joint venture and a major milestone for both Raytheon and Rafael. The new Camden site is the first all-up-round production facility in the U.S. to manufacture Tamir and SkyHunter missiles.”
In October, RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) reported strong third-quarter 2025 results, beating estimates for both revenue and earnings. The company also raised its full-year revenue and profit guidance, citing growing demand for its missiles and aftermarket services.
Several analysts lifted their price targets for the company following the earnings call. As of the close of business on November 26, over 60% of Wall Street analysts with recommendations on RTX have a Buy or higher rating on the stock, with a one-year share price target of $193.79, representing an upside potential of 11.89%.
RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is a giant in the global aerospace and defense industry, providing systems and services to commercial, military, and government clients. It operates through three main businesses: Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon.
9. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)
Share Price Upside Potential: 16.30%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 68
Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) is among the 10 Best Drone Stocks to Buy Right Now. On November 18, the company announced a strategic collaboration with German weapon manufacturer Diehl Defence to expand the integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) framework to allied nations.
The two companies will combine their capabilities and work on the integration of IRIS-T with the Aegis Weapon System and the MK41 launcher, which would mark the first instance of a European missile’s incorporation into the system.
Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) has partnered with German firms for over half a century and has partnered on various projects with Diehl Defence in the past.
The MoU builds on an agreement signed between the two companies in October this year for the potential supply chain expansion for missiles in the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system.
Diehl’s CEO Helmut Rauch welcomed the agreement, while saying that the collaboration would benefit navies worldwide by equipping their surface combat vessels with advanced air defense systems.
Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) is one of the largest defense contractors in the world. It specializes in the research, design, and development of advanced technology systems, products, and services.
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