Drone Market

Market Definition

The global Drone Market size was valued at USD 20.6 billion in 2023 and is predicted to reach USD 47.6 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 13.0% from 2024-2030. A drone, also known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is a versatile airborne device often equipped with a camera, sensors, and arms & ammunition.

Drones are widely utilized in the various industrial sectors, which contribute significantly to enhancing the efficiency and safety of the sector. They demonstrate exceptional capabilities in surveillance, inspections, and data collection, featuring specialized tools modified for tasks such as monitoring infrastructure, mapping, and environmental assessments.

Drones play a crucial role in various fields, including emergency response, precision agriculture, logistics, and security. Their capacity to navigate challenging terrain and deliver real-time data renders them indispensable in modern industrial operations.

Market Dynamics and Trends

The increasing adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within security and defence sectors, for a diverse range of military purposes including surveillance, mapping, military logistics, and combat operations, is fuelling market expansion. Advanced military UAVs can be equipped with aerial firepower and are utilized in combat due to their stealth capabilities and exceptional manoeuvrability.

For instance, in May 2023, the US Marine Corps submitted a request as part of the US fiscal 2024 budget for automated war zone air delivery drones. They proposed a budget allocation of USD 13 million for these drones, which are personalized to transport payloads weighing up to 150 pounds across distances of up to nine miles.

Additionally, the rising utilization of UAVs by public safety agencies, including law enforcement and emergency management, for activities such as search and rescue operations during natural disasters or locating missing suspects, is contributing significantly to the expansion of the drone market.

Moreover, the increasing adoption of specialized drones for wildfire surveillance and suppression, due to their capacity to efficiently locate and deliver real-time data using infrared cameras, is propelling the drone market. For instance, in May 2022, the U.S. Forest Service effectively deployed drones to detect wildfires and execute controlled burns around existing fire zones. By strategically initiating fires in targeted locations, the drones successfully deprived the wildfires of fuel, thereby minimizing their spread and impact.

However, the high expense associated with professional UAV solutions and the shortage of skilled pilots to operate UAVs act as constraints on the expansion of the unmanned aerial vehicle market. On the other hand, the emergence of AI-enabled autonomous drones, equipped with the capability to autonomously avoid collisions through computer vision technology, is anticipated to generate significant growth opportunities for the drone market in the forthcoming years.

Markert Segmentation

The drone market is segmented based on type, class, operation mode, range, system, MTOW, application, end-user, and region. Based on type, the market is divided into fixed-wing drones, rotary-wing drones, and hybrid drones. Based on class, the market is classified into small drones, tactical drones, strategic drones, and special-purpose drones. Based on operation mode, the market is bifurcated into remotely piloted, optionally piloted, and fully autonomous.

Based on range, the market is further divided into visual line of sight, extended visual line of sight, and beyond visual line of sight. Based on the system, the market is further bifurcated into drone airframes, drone payloads, drone avionics, drone propulsion, and drone software. Based on MTOW, the market is further bifurcated into less than 25 KG, 25 to 170 KG, and more than 170 KG.

Based on application, the market is divided into combat and battle damage management, cargo delivery, videography and photography, and healthcare & social assistance. Based on end-user, the market is bifurcated into military and defence, agriculture, construction and mining, government & law enforcement, and transport and logistics. Regional breakdown and analysis of each of the aforesaid segments include regions comprising North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW.

Geographical Analysis

North America holds the major share of the global drone market and is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is due to several factors, such as the increasing utilization of UAVs by the military for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations. Drones offer a highly effective means of aerial surveillance, providing a bird's-eye view of conflict zones and facilitating the collection of necessary information.

Moreover, the increasing adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles for commercial purposes such as filmmaking, media coverage, and retail delivery is further propelling the drone market in the North American region. For instance, in May 2022, Walmart announced its aim to offer drone delivery services to 4 million households across the USA. This initiative represents the world's inaugural large-scale drone delivery program, promising enhanced efficiency and reduced delivery times for products.

On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to show a steady rise in the drone market, fuelled by the rapidly expanding adoption of UAVs within the agricultural sector. UAVs play a pivotal role in monitoring the cultivation process and facilitating crop-spraying activities, thereby enhancing agronomic sustainability and boosting farm yields. According to the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Centre (NATESC) of China, over 120,000 drones were deployed to spray pesticides on more than 71.33 million hectares of farmland across the country in 2021.

Moreover, the rising utilization of UAVs in the mining industry for streamlined monitoring, pre-planning, and mapping is additionally fuelling market growth within the Asia-Pacific region. For instance, in May 2023, Newcrest announced its implementation of specialized UAVs, specifically the "GET detection drone," to identify tramp metals and pinpoint missing components of ground engaging tools (GET) at the Newcrest Telfer Mine in Australia.

Competitive Landscape

The drone industry comprises various market players such as Parrot SA, EHang Holdings Limited, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Autel Robotics Co., Ltd, SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd, Yuneec International, AeroVironment, Inc, Baykar, Quantum-Systems GmbH, Tekever, Anduril Industries, Elbit Systems, Skydio, Inc, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc, Northrop Grumman Corporation, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Airbus Defence and Space, Leonardo S.p.A, Textron Systems. These market players are adopting various strategies including conducting R&D and product launches to stay competitive and maintain their market positions.

For instance, in July 2023, DJI launched a new drone named the DJI Air 3, equipped with dual primary cameras. It features a wide-angle camera and a 3x medium telecamera while maintaining a minimum overall weight of the drone. This product is attributed to enhancing the experience of shooting a high-quality video using a drone.

Moreover, in March 2022, Northrop Grumman Corporation launched a high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named the Global Hawk RQ-4B UAV to Japan. Northrop Grumman's autonomous HALE system will assist Japan in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) collection, as the Global Hawk RQ-4B is outfitted with mission-specific sensors tailored to address ISR needs.

Key Benefits

• The report provides quantitative analysis and estimations of the drone market from 2024 to 2030, which assists in identifying the prevailing market opportunities.

• The study comprises a deep-dive analysis of the current and future drone market trends to depict prevalent investment pockets in the industry.

• Information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities and their impact on the drone market is provided in the report. 

• A competitive analysis of the players, along with their market share is provided in the report.

• SWOT analysis and Porter's Five Forces model are elaborated in the study.

• Value chain analysis in the market study provides a clear picture of the roles of stakeholders.

Drone Market Key Segments

By Component

• Hardware

  • Airframe

    • Carbon Fiber

    • Plastic

    • Alumunium

    • Fiberglass

  • Propulsion System

    • Motors

    • Propellers Blade

  • Power System

  • Control System

• Software

• Service

By Product

• Commercial Drones

• Personal Drones

• Military Drones

By Type

• Fixed-Wing Drones

• Rotary-Wing Drones

• Hybrid Drones

• Multi-Rotor Drones

• Single-Rotor Drones

By Maximum Takeoff Weight

• Upto 10 Kg

• Up To 25 Kg

• 26–150 Kg

• 151–500 Kg

• Above 500 Kg

By Mode Of Operations

• Remotedly Piloted

• Optionally Piloted

• Autonomous

By Application

• Aerial Surveying & Photography

• Tourism

• Combat Operations

By End Users

• Media & Entertainment

• Military & Defense

• Smart City Management

• Construction

By Region

• North America

  • The U.S.

  • Canada

  • Mexico

• Europe

  • The UK

  • Germany

  • France        

  • Italy        

  • Spain        

  • Denmark        

  • Netherlands        

  • Finland        

  • Sweden        

  • Norway        

  • Russia        

  • Rest of Europe    

• Asia Pacific

  • China

  • Japan

  • India

  • South Korea

  • Australia

  • Indonesia

  • Singapore

  • Taiwan

  • Thailand

  • Rest of Asia Pacific

• RoW

  • Latin America

  • Middle East

  • Africa

KEY PLAYERS

• Parrot SA

• EHang Holdings Limited

• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

• Autel Robotics Co., Ltd.

• SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd.

• Yuneec International

• AeroVironment, Inc.

• Baykar

• Quantum-Systems GmbH

• Tekever

• Anduril Industries

• Elbit Systems

• Skydio, Inc.

• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

• Northrop Grumman Corporation

• The Boeing Company

• Lockheed Martin Corporation

• Airbus Defence and Space

• Leonardo S.p.A.

• Textron Systems

Report Scope and Segmentation