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Dear Fellow Investor,
A Boring, But Profitable Investment Idea
“Investing in drones” can sound like the definition of boring.
Drones have been around for years, and most people’s mental image is still a consumer gadget: a camera in the sky, a buzzing hobby toy, or a novelty delivery demo.
But the real investing story isn’t the toy aisle. It’s that drones are quietly becoming operational infrastructure, tools that lower costs, reduce risk, and generate better data across defense and a growing list of commercial industries.
Why this market is getting harder to ignore
The drone market is expanding fast, but it’s important to note that forecasts vary depending on what’s included (commercial-only vs. total market including hardware, software, services, and defense).
Still, the growth trend is consistent. One widely cited estimate from Fortune Business Insights projects the commercial drone market could grow from about $17.34 billion in 2025 to about $65.25 billion by 2032. A broader estimate from Grand View Research (using a wider definition of the drone market) puts the global market at about $73.06 billion in 2024, projecting it could reach about $163.60 billion by 2030.
That kind of runway matters because it suggests drones are moving from “interesting pilots” to scaled programs with real budgets behind them.
Banyan HIll Publishing
Buffett, Gates and Bezos Dumping Stocks
Over the past several months, we've noticed a troubling pattern:
Warren Buffett has liquidated $6.8 billion in stocks.
Bill Gates has sold off 500,000 shares of Microsoft.
And Jeff Bezos filed to sell Amazon shares worth $4.8 billion.
What is going on?
One multi-millionaire believes they are preparing for a catastrophic event…
But not a crash… or a bank run… or even a recession.
He says, we’ve entered something called a “Terrifying Bull Market.”
Jeftovic recently revealed which corner of the market these billionaires are favoring now and how everyday Americans can follow their lead before it's too late.
For his full briefing, click here.
The underappreciated catalyst: a supply-chain reset
For years, Chinese manufacturers, especially DJI, have dominated civilian drones. The Special Competitive Studies Project notes DJI holds over 90% of the global consumer drone market and nearly 70% of the overall drone sector. Reuters has also highlighted Western concern that China’s dominance in drones (and related critical components) creates strategic dependence.
That backdrop helps explain why policy is becoming a major driver of the investment thesis.
On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a ban on the sale of new foreign-made drone models (and certain critical components), including those from Chinese firms DJI and Autel, citing national security risks. Reporting indicates this does not automatically ground previously authorized models already in the field, but it can materially constrain the pipeline of new approvals, accelerating demand for compliant “trusted” alternatives.
For investors, this matters because procurement in defense, public safety, and critical infrastructure tends to follow compliance rules. If the U.S. market continues to move toward NDAA-compliant hardware and vetted supply chains, that’s a structural tailwind for U.S. and allied manufacturers, integrators, and component suppliers.
Where demand is coming from
Drones are not one market—they’re many markets. The most durable opportunities tend to be “drones + data + workflow,” where the aircraft is only part of the solution.
Key demand areas include:
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Defense and national security: ISR, tactical unmanned systems, loitering munitions, and counter-drone ecosystems.
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Industrial inspection: energy, utilities, pipelines, and renewables (wind/solar) where drones reduce downtime and keep workers out of hazardous environments.
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Agriculture: crop monitoring, mapping, and targeted spraying—work that can be repeated every season.
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Public safety and emergency management: search and rescue, firefighting assessment, disaster response, and situational awareness.
In many of these areas, the higher-margin value often sits in software (fleet management, autonomy, analytics) and recurring services—not just the hardware sale.
Trade Algo
A critical message for traders
This is a critical message for traders —
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The trend is becoming clear.
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Those who don’t will likely fall behind.
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Two ways to invest: individual names or diversified baskets
If you want targeted exposure, some investors look at individual companies with meaningful drone or unmanned-systems revenue. Names that often come up include:
The upside with single stocks is precision. The downside is concentration risk—especially for smaller firms that can be heavily influenced by a handful of contracts, regulatory shifts, or capital needs.
If you prefer to diversify, ETFs can be a practical way to express the theme.
ETF: iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (SYM: ITA)
ITA is a passive ETF focused on U.S. aerospace and defense equities. iShares describes it as providing targeted access to U.S. companies that manufacture commercial and military aircraft and other defense equipment, and it lists an expense ratio of 0.38%.
This is not a pure “drone ETF.” It’s a broader defense/aerospace allocation that can benefit from many of the same forces driving unmanned systems: defense modernization, elevated procurement, and increased focus on autonomous platforms.
As of mid-December 2025, third-party holdings data shows ITA’s largest positions include GE Aerospace (~21.35%) and RTX Corporation (~16.35%), with other major defense primes and suppliers also represented.
Why investors use ITA:
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Broad exposure to established aerospace/defense leaders
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Lower fee relative to active thematic funds
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A way to participate in defense spending trends that often include unmanned systems
ETF: ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (SYM: ARKQ)
ARKQ is an actively managed ETF built around autonomy and robotics. ARK describes the fund as seeking long-term growth of capital by investing primarily (at least 80% of assets) in domestic and foreign equity securities aligned to autonomous technology and robotics innovation.
This approach can give you more direct access to “autonomy” beneficiaries (including drones), but it comes with a higher fee. ARKQ’s summary prospectus lists a 0.75% management fee and 0.75% total annual operating expenses.
ARKQ is also not a pure drone fund—its top holdings include broader autonomy, robotics, and enabling technologies—but it does hold meaningful drone-adjacent exposure. ARK’s published holdings data (as of December 19, 2025) shows:
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Kratos Defense & Security (SYM: KTOS): 6.96%
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AeroVironment (SYM: AVAV): 3.52%
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L3Harris Technologies (SYM: LHX): 2.61%
Why investors use ARKQ:
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A wider autonomy/robotics thesis, with drones as one component
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Active management that can shift as the theme evolves
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Potentially more exposure to earlier-stage “disruptive innovation” names (with higher volatility)
Paradigm Press
For the first time ever, James Altucher – one of America’s top venture capitalists – is sharing how ANYONE can get a pre-IPO stake in SpaceX… with as little as $100!
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