Why Unusual Machines Stock Just Popped
Key Points
President Trump announced new tariffs up to 100% on imported drones and drone parts.
Unusual Machines builds drone parts made in the USA.
- 10 stocks we like better than Unusual Machines ›
Unusual Machines (NYSEMKT: UMAC) stock took off like a rocket this morning after President Trump announced new tariffs on imported drones and drone parts.
As of 11:55 a.m. ET Friday, Unusual Machines stock is up 26%.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
President Trump's drone tariffs
The Wall Street Journal explains that the new tariffs are intended to boost drone production and create jobs in the drone industry in the U.S. -- while also enhancing national security by developing a home-grown drones industrial base.
China currently dominates international drone production, but isn't always friendly to the U.S. The President doesn't want the U.S. depending on China should the countries come into conflict. Accordingly, the Journal notes that imports of drones and drone parts from China "will face significantly higher levies than those from allied nations." Friendly nations such as Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan, as well as EU countries, will be tariffed at only 15%. The U.K. will receive a 10% tariff rate on drones.
Final tariffs may be higher or lower than these numbers, depending on the technology involved; drones with thermal imaging equipment, in particular, will be subject to 100% tariffs. The tariffs will start going into effect three weeks from now and will be fully implemented in six months.
What it means for Unusual Machines
As the Trump tariffs go into effect, sales of Unusual Machines' Fat Shark-brand video goggles for drone pilots, and made-in-the-USA drone motors, flight and speed controllers, videocameras, video transmitters, and other drone parts should boom.
U.S. drone companies seeking drone parts not made in China will likely turn to Unusual Machines as the highest-profile all-American supplier around. Even analysts who were forecasting sales to quintuple this year -- and double again next year -- may find themselves pleasantly surprised.
Shareholders should be pretty pleased, too.
Should you buy stock in Unusual Machines right now?
Before you buy stock in Unusual Machines, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Unusual Machines wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $421,943!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,382,819!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 983% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 216% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 14, 2026.
Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
