Aevex Corp.'s stock soared 16.25% during intraday trading on Friday, marking a volatile and strong start to its public trading life on the New York Stock Exchange.

The military drone provider priced its initial public offering at $20 per share, within its marketed range of $18 to $21, raising $320 million. Pre-market indications suggested the stock would open significantly above its offer price, between $23 and $25 per share, signaling robust initial investor appetite.

The debut comes amid soaring military and investor interest in defense technology and unmanned systems. The company's IPO was buoyed by this demand, and its first-day pop follows a positive trend for recent defense tech listings, contributing to the significant intraday price appreciation.