3 Stocks at the Tactical Edge of LikeFolio’s Next Mega Trend

VIEW IN BROWSER

BY ANDY SWAN, FOUNDER, LIKEFOLIO

An amazing feat of human ingenuity quietly occurred last Saturday while most of us were enjoying some much-needed weekend R&R…

At approximately 5:01 a.m. ET, before the sun crested the Atlantic Ocean, 28 Starlink internet satellites launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

View of the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launch from Corolla, NC – July 26, 2025
(Courtesy: LikeFolio Editorial Team)

This particular rocket, Falcon 9, had already made the flight more than 20 times. And those 28 satellites joined the nearly 8,000 already in orbit around the globe.

These SpaceX launches occur on a near-weekly basis. And the implications for the future of communication – and for investors with an eye toward the future – should not be overlooked.

Starlink’s satellite-based internet connectivity is redefining how we communicate – providing fast, reliable internet access to remote locations where traditional providers can’t reach and underserved populations where internet access was once impossible.

It’s at the cutting edge of the next major investor trend we see developing at LikeFolio: Tactical edge innovation.

These “tactical edge” technologies enable autonomy, connectivity, and distributed intelligence across sectors once limited by scale and complexity.

Their platforms are designed for speed and adaptability.

They run at low power, operate across constrained environments, and execute complex tasks with minimal human input.

Whether that means routing data through low-orbit satellites like Starlink or piloting electric aircraft over urban corridors, the defining feature of these technologies is independence.

Recommended Link
President Trump Could Soon Unlock Trillions in New Wealth
If you think America is broke, think again. These “reserve accounts” are worth trillions. And according to President Trump’s executive order #14196… “It is the policy of the United States to maximize the stewardship of [these accounts] for the sole benefit of American citizens.” Click here to see how you could tap into these “reserve accounts”.

Now is the time to put this on your radar, so to speak. And at LikeFolio, where we’ve been tracking this mega trend as it develops, you can bet we’ve already identified a handful of tactical edge innovators that could usher in the next wave of profits for investors.

The most important systems in aerospace, communications, mobility, and infrastructure now rely on edge computing and autonomous platforms like theirs, offering real-time coordination without centralized oversight.

And U.S. investment is accelerating across this spectrum: Federal agencies have committed more than $150 billion to modernize critical systems, supporting drones, uncrewed vehicles, AI navigation, and next-generation connectivity.

More urgent, President Donald Trump has made this a focal point of his administration, issuing an executive order in July that prioritized domestic production of autonomous systems and scalable edge infrastructure.

From the tiny players connecting beyond the grid, Starlink-style, to the drone specialists enabling aerospace autonomy at scale, these three names should be on every TradeSmith Daily reader’s watch list…

Stock No. 1: Enabling Space-Based Communication

Starlink provides internet to users in remote areas by connecting satellite and terrestrial networks. Another little-known company is taking a similar approach to bridge the communication gaps in cellular service: AST SpaceMobile (ASTS).

MegaTrends members will know this name well – ASTS shares have more than doubled since we featured the stock in our November 2024 Election report.

What makes ASTS so special? Well, the typical cellphone relies on ground-based towers for service. Find yourself in a remote location – like our VP of Research Megan Brantley often does on her hikes through Red River Gorge – and you’ve found yourself in a precarious situation. (Especially if, like Megan, you have a toddler in tow.)

ASTS aims to solve this problem with a satellite network capable of linking directly with unmodified smartphones – essentially eliminating the need for separate hardware or service plans for satellite connectivity. The first and only network of its kind.

This isn’t just about using satellites for communication. It’s about integrating satellite connectivity into the existing mobile service ecosystem in a way that traditional satellite services, which often require specialized equipment or operate on different communication protocols, do not.

ASTS is in the build-out phase, but it’s already proved its potential, completing two-way broadband video calls with major carriers, including AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ), using standard smartphones. Looking ahead, it has five contracted satellite launches scheduled over the next six to nine months and expects revenue of $50–75 million in the second half of 2025 as commercial service begins.

The company received a key FCC approval this year to trial direct-to-phone satellite service on FirstNet, extending coverage beyond cell towers for first responders – and keeping our front-line forces connected.

Making this opportunity all the more compelling, recent job listings and executive posts suggest Apple (AAPL) could be a silent partner. This is pure speculation. But if confirmed, ASTS would get a first-mover advantage in direct-to-device satellite coverage.

Either way, this company is positioning itself to provide critical infrastructure for distributed command platforms, civilian connectivity, and edge mobility.

Stock No. 2: Building Battlefield-Ready Autonomy

In aerospace, tactical edge innovation is driven by unmanned systems. The Pentagon’s Replicator initiative aims to deploy thousands of low-cost “attritable” drones by 2025, spurring demand for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) makers like AeroVironment (AVAV).

AeroVironment leads the U.S. military small-drone market with contract-backed systems already deployed. Its Switchblade loitering munitions have proven effective in live combat zones, while its next-gen tactical drones align with current Department of Defense (DoD) procurement priorities.

AeroVironment’s advantage lies in production readiness and software-guided flight autonomy at scale. The company recently launched three new products (P550, Jump 20X, Red Dragon) and is doubling Switchblade production capacity in Utah to support over $1 billion in annual revenue for its Loitering Munition Systems (LMS) business by fiscal 2027.

It’s also won major contracts, including a $990 million IDIQ ceiling with U.S. Army for Lethal Unmanned Systems, LASSO program awards, and Replicator Initiative funding.

LikeFolio data shows AeroVironment unique visits gaining 81% year over year, driven by buyer demand and investor interest…

Shares are trading in tandem, up more than 70% year to date as the defense segment (drones specifically) garner high interest.

But there’s plenty of runway ahead for AVAV. The United States leads the world in unmanned systems, accounting for nearly half of global revenue (+45%) in 2024, where the air-based platforms AeroVironment specializes in are absorbing the largest piece of the pie.

As defense budgets target loitering munitions, tactical drones, and autonomous systems, AeroVironment is positioned to capitalize on expanding demand both at home and abroad.

Stock No. 3: Powering Decision Infrastructure at the Edge

Edge computing and AI are converging to solve one of the biggest challenges in modern data infrastructure: how to turn real-time information into action without relying on distant cloud servers. This shift matters most where latency, bandwidth, and responsiveness directly impact outcomes.

Processing data at the edge reduces the need to transmit large volumes of information to centralized servers, enabling faster and more autonomous systems. The FY2025 defense budget increases funding for AI-powered platforms that support real-time data fusion and local decision-making.

Palantir (PLTR) is already delivering on this with TITAN, a ground station that combines satellite, radar, and sensor inputs to generate actionable intelligence on the ground – which the U.S. Army has rated a top-performing program.

Palantir’s Gotham and Apollo platforms are already embedded into U.S. and NATO defense networks, with NATO recently deploying Palantir’s AI-driven command systems across all 32 member states.

This is hardly an under-the-radar play. Explosive demand for Palantir’s flagship AIP platform, rising government AI spend, and sustained commercial expansion in the U.S. have driven shares 488% higher year over year.

But according to LikeFolio data, Palantir’s momentum is still building behind the scenes. Digital demand rocketed to all-time highs in June:

As enterprise adoption accelerates and AI budgets shift from experimentation to deployment, Palantir is emerging as one of the clearest beneficiaries of real-world AI monetization.

It delivers the software backbone for tactical data fusion, AI-enabled targeting, and mission planning. And as real-time autonomy scales, PLTR’s integration layer will only become more essential.

The Bottom Line

Technology is moving out of the data center and into the field. And these three companies are leading the charge across communications, aerospace, and edge AI:

• In communications, ASTS is building the network for space-based cellular service.
• In aerospace, AVAV is scaling a battle-tested autonomous drone fleet.
• And in AI, PLTR is powering the U.S. government with its industry-leading integration layer.

Add these stocks to your watchlist today, and you’ll be one step ahead of the crowd – just like we’ve been with winners like Robinhood Markets (HOOD), Hims & Hers Health (HIMS), and Stride (LRN), all year long.

Join us over at MegaTrends, and the next time an under-the-radar name with +100% profit potential hits our radar, you’ll be among the first to know.

Our members were first to find out about HOOD last April – and have been rewarded with a 5x windfall. They got in on LRN early last January and walked away with a +145% profit in June. That first-mover advantage can be yours today.

Until next time,

Andy Swan
Founder, LikeFolio