It’s been inherently difficult to get a clear read on shares of Unusual Machines (UMAC), a Florida-based manufacturer of drones and drone motors.
If it is not a meme stock in the truest sense, UMAC can at least be called meme stock-adjacent.
When you name Donald Trump Jr. to your advisory board just weeks after his father is elected president, your stock is bound to get highly speculative.
So, it wasn’t exactly surprising when shares of UMAC soared over 24% on Monday — despite no company announcements or market-moving headlines.
UMAC had already skyrocketed 700% in November after announcing Trump Jr.’s appointment.
Back then, The Wall Street Journal pulled no punches asking Unusual Machines CEO Allan Evans whether bringing the younger Trump on board was a strategic move to help land government contracts.
“I would never ask him to do anything or facilitate anything like that,” Evans said.
Trump Jr., a partner at venture capital firm 1789 Capital, has no official role in his father’s administration. He also told The Wall Street Journal that he plans to “recuse himself from investments involving companies with government business.”
Still, in his first statement after joining Unusual Machines’ advisory board, Trump Jr. sounded a lot like his father, particularly when it came to economic nationalism.
“The need for drones is obvious. It is also obvious that we must stop buying Chinese drones and Chinese drone parts,” he said.
“I love what Unusual Machines is doing to bring drone manufacturing jobs back to the USA and am excited to take on a bigger role in the movement.”
China currently dominates the global drone market, making it a prime target of Trump’s tariff policies.
“America-first” advantage
That’s exactly why Unusual Machines could be positioned to benefit from President Trump’s “America-first” economic agenda.
The company is building a U.S.-based manufacturing facility, which could shield it from long-term supply chain disruptions caused by Trump’s tariffs — meant to boost American manufacturing.
Unusual Machines recently landed a deal to develop motors for U.S.-based drone manufacturer Red Cat. These will be among the first motors produced at its new facility.
“Our goal is to provide American drone manufacturers with high-performance motors at cost parity with the Chinese-made alternatives currently in use,” Evans said.
“Red Cat’s decision to source motors from Unusual Machines underscores the demand for a domestic supply chain that supports national security and regulatory compliance.”
Unusual Machines has also been expanding through acquisitions, including Fat Cat, a manufacturer of first-person-view (FPV) goggles, and Rotor Riot, a popular e-commerce marketplace for drone enthusiasts.
These acquisitions have helped the company start generating revenue.
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