Why Ondas (ONDS) Is Building a Defense-AI Moonshot

Ondas Inc. (NASDAQ:ONDS) is one of the best “moonshot” tech stocks to buy according to short sellers. The stock’s latest publicly reported short interest stood at 34.27% of float as of April 30, 2026, according to MarketBeat.

Ondas gave the moonshot case another defense-AI layer on May 18, when it agreed to acquire Omnisys Ltd., an Israeli developer of AI-powered Battle Resource Optimization software for multi-domain defense planning and real-time decision-making. Ondas said Omnisys’ platform will act as an orchestration layer across its autonomous systems portfolio, helping coordinate sensors, autonomous platforms, and defense assets across complex missions.

That follows a May 14 quarterly results that explain why the stock has attracted speculative heat. Ondas reported first-quarter revenue of $50.1 million, up from $4.3 million a year earlier, and raised its full-year 2026 revenue target to at least $390 million. The company also said pro forma backlog reached $457 million, helped by order activity and acquisitions, while its Palantir partnership is being used to integrate AI-driven ISR and command capabilities across air, ground, and stratospheric systems.

Why Ondas (ONDS) Is Building a Defense-AI Moonshot

Short sellers still have a clear case. Ondas is scaling through a rapid acquisition spree, and operating expenses rose sharply, resulting in an adjusted EBITDA loss of $10.9 million in the first quarter. Management also expects adjusted EBITDA losses to remain elevated in the second quarter before improving later in 2026. This is a very moonshot setup: drones, counter-UAS, defense robotics, Palantir, and battlefield AI on one side; integration risk and cash-burn gravity on the other.

Ondas Inc. (NASDAQ:ONDS) provides autonomous systems, robotics, counter-drone technologies, private wireless networks, and mission-critical defense and security platforms.

While we acknowledge the risk and potential of ONDS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ONDS and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

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