A look at YTD performance of ASX-listed drone companies

Highlights

• Drones could be useful in emergency response during times of natural catastrophe.
• Last week, Australia-based drone logistics company Swoop Aero used a drone to deliver vaccine.

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), that does not have a human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs also include a ground-based controller.

Developing drones that can, for example, give medicine could significantly improve survival rates in remote areas. Drones could be useful in emergency response during times of natural catastrophe. Drones may be able to reach locations that get blocked off due to floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters.

On the other side, industries have also improved and adapted drones as technology continues to flourish and plays a larger part in customers' lives.

Earlier this year, Amazon (AMZN) introduced Amazon Prime Air, a drone delivery system that tries to deliver packages within 30 minutes. The program has not yet been implemented, although it is in the works.

Last week, Australia-based drone logistics company Swoop Aero announced that its drone delivery activities will focus on envisioning and building "a new layer of infrastructure making access to the skies seamless."

Swoop Aero claimed that it was the first company in the world to use a drone to deliver a vaccine. The company added that it has made the delivery of immunisations and other medical supplies a routine part of healthcare in the United Kingdom, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Australia, and New Zealand. Swoop Aero has been permitted to fly missions outside visual lines of sight in 14 countries.

There is no denying the fact that drones have a significant inancial and economic impact, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) rules, together with concerns over privacy, have played an important role in delaying the launch of commercial drone services.

On a macroeconomic scale, UAV integration might generate more than 100,000 new jobs. Over 10 years, commercial drone use will generate largely manufacturing jobs and drone operators. Similarly, states will profit from tax windfalls due to greater economic activity.

However, the widespread usage of drones is expected to raise privacy concerns among citizens who are concerned about business and government data collection. For example, Amazon drones use a camera and GPS to navigate delivery routes, which many people find bothersome.

Last month, EPE, an Australian firm, partnered with Shield AI, a US-based developer of unmanned systems, to market the latter's Nova 2 drone in Australia and New Zealand.

EPE stated that “clear synergies” exist between both companies and are committed to protecting soldiers through creative solutions.

In this article, we at Kalkine Media® will look at the YTD performance of top ASX-listed drone stocks.

DroneShield Limited

DroneShield Limited (ASX:DRO) is an Australian firm that specialises in radio frequency (RF) sensing, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, sensor fusion, electronic warfare, fast prototyping, and MIL-SPEC manufacturing. It offers AI-based tools for defence against advanced threats such as drones and self-driving cars.

DroneShield said last week that it had acquired an AU$2 million order from a European Government customer for numerous DroneSentry fixed site detect-and-defeat systems. This transaction represents a new high for DroneShield's European market.

The order's primary payment is due in the current September 2022 quarter, with the balance owing on system installation by the end of calendar 2022.

Image Source: © 2022 Kalkine Media ®

Data Source- Company announcement dated 01 September 2022

Meanwhile, DroneShield's shares last exchanged hands at AU$0.17 per share, down 2.86% on ASX today. The company's shares have fallen around 8% on a YTD basis.

Delta Drone International Ltd

Delta Drone International Limited (ASX:DLT) provides data services and technological solutions for the mining, agriculture, and engineering industries using drones.

On 29 August, Delta Drone, a global drones-as-a-service provider, shared its business update for the half year ending 30 June 2022 (1H FY2022).

DLT earned AU$2.8 million in operating revenue during the first half of FY2021, a 47% increase over the first half of FY2021. This does not include revenue produced by ParaZero in any quarter. In the first half of the fiscal year 2022, the company's gross profit was AU$1.37 million and net loss after tax was AU$0.8 million.

Furthermore, preliminary actions have been taken to reverse some of the corporate expense increases expected in late 2021. This resulted in a one-time impact from director termination fees and a partial benefit from lower underlying director fees during 1H FY2022, with the latter only contributing late to the year.

Delta Drone's shares ended flat at AU$0.015 apiece on ASX today. The company's shares have plummeted 25% on a YTD basis.

Image Source: © Konart | Megapixl.com

Mobilicom Limited

Mobilicom (ASX:MOB) provides full-service cybersecurity and smart solutions for drones, robotics, and self-driving cars. Mobilicom creates, develops, and distributes intelligent solutions primarily for global drone, robotics, etc.

It provides a diverse, field-tested portfolio of commercialised goods utilised in a variety of applications.

The company recorded a loss of AU$1,926,331 for the half-year ending 30 June 2022, which was AU$601,162 for the same period in 2021. The rise was mostly due to increased sales and marketing initiatives to promote new and repeat orders from existing Tier-1 manufacturers and support new client wins in the United States, Europe, and Israel.

Mobilicom further informed that sales revenue of AU$1.21 million decreased compared to the prior comparative period (half-year ended 30 June 2021: AU$2.01 million), as supply chain issues and component shortages hampered the company's ability to deliver current orders to clients, resulting in revenue deferral.

Meanwhile, shares of Mobilicom closed trading at AU$0.017 per share, down 10.53% on ASX today. The company's shares have provided negative returns of around 66% on a YTD basis.