The global unmanned aerial vehicle market size was valued at USD 83.57 billion in 2023. The global market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 26.4% from 2024 to 2029 and be worth USD 340.83 billion by 2029 from USD 105.6 billion in 2024.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are human-free components, generally called drones. The autonomous aircraft comprises onboard computers that are controlled by ground-based controllers remotely. The aerodynamic structures are built to perform various functions with the desired navigation system.
The surge in the adoption of military drones by defense forces around the world is one of the most crucial factors supporting the developments in the UAV market. The growing use of drones in various commercial applications, such as monitoring, surveying & mapping, precision agriculture, aerial remote sensing, and product delivery, contributes to the growth of the global UAV market.
Technological and legal restrictions, such as short endurance, bandwidth issues, and the lack of standard laws and regulations that can restrict the usage of such systems in the airspace of certain countries, are anticipated to hinder the growth of the global UAV market.
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REPORT METRIC |
DETAILS |
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Market Size Available |
2023 to 2029 |
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Base Year |
2023 |
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Forecast Period |
2024 to 2029 |
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CAGR |
26.4% |
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Segments Covered |
By Class, Technology, System, Application and Region |
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Various Analyses Covered |
Global, Regional & Country Level Analysis, Segment-Level Analysis, DROC, PESTLE Analysis, Porter’s Five Forces Analysis, Competitive Landscape, Analyst Overview on Investment Opportunities |
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Regions Covered |
North America, Europe, APAC, Latin America, Middle East & Africa |
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Market Leaders Profiled |
General Atomics (U.S.), Northrop Grumman (U.S.), Textron Inc. (U.S.), and Boeing (U.S.) are some of the significant players operating in the military UAV market. At the same time, SZ DJI (China), Parrot (France), 3D Robotics (U.S.), Aeryon Labs (Canada) are significant players in commercial UAVs. |
The small UAV segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing market owing to its numerous military and civil applications worldwide. They are widely utilized for security, monitoring, and surveillance. The increasing demand for small military drones for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications drives the market growth. High utilization of small UAVs for industrial applications such as agriculture, mapping, surveying, and logistics worldwide is also expected to propel their demand in the coming future. Small UAVs segment to proliferate backed by their usage in commercial applications
The fully autonomous segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast timeframe. It includes a command delivery system and flight planning system in which the flight route and range are decided before the operation. The UAVs fully control it without an external operator from the ground. These are mission-based high payload UAVs designed for specific functions in various countries such as the U.S., China, Russia, and Israel. The remotely operated segment to add a considerable share owing to applications in aerial mapping & others.
The avionics segment is likely to proliferate during the forecast period due to adopting a modern electronics system, path control, and automated flight management system. Several companies focus on improving their navigation system based on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to ensure flight efficiency. This development will enhance drones' capability for object detection, collision avoidance, and automatic flight control systems. This factor is estimated to propel the software system growth in the future years. Avionics segment to observe remarkable CAGR stoked by rising adoption of modern electronic systems.
The military segment is estimated to hold the largest share during the anticipated timeframe. An increase in the demand for tactical UAVs and strategic UAVs for military applications drives the segment growth. Several countries have increased their purchase for particular purposes UAVs, such as altitude-long Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs and High-Altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAVs for various missions. It is likely to propel demand in the coming years. The commercial segment is to register higher CAGR fuelled by increasing investments by companies.
North America controls the largest share of the global unmanned aerial vehicle market in 2023 and this trend is likely to continue throughout the forecast period. The domination of the North American market is majorly attributed to the growing utilization of drones in infrastructure surveys, aerial mapping, forest monitoring, and other military uses. The U.S. is one of the significant manufacturers of military UAVs exporting to different countries worldwide. The presence of leading players in the U.S., such as General Atomics, Textron, and Boeing, supports the positive business outlook.
The European market is predicted to grow at a modest rate because of the growing demand for cameras, software, avionics, and navigation systems for the past few years. The European countries have major technology companies operating like Parrot Drones and Delair, approaching the globe's demand. The Asia Pacific market is supposed to witness significant growth due to the growing market for modern warfare unmanned aerial vehicles for tactical and strategic uses in the coming years. The major importer countries such as India, Pakistan, and China are likely to secure considerable revenue in the forthcoming years. The ROW is set to gain a lower market share due to substantially low demand in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil.
General Atomics (U.S.), Northrop Grumman (U.S.), Textron Inc. (U.S.), and Boeing (U.S.) are some of the significant players operating in the military UAV market. At the same time, SZ DJI (China), Parrot (France), 3D Robotics (U.S.), and Aeryon Labs (Canada) are significant players in commercial UAVs. General Atomics is one of the prominent manufacturers in the military UAV markets, with its products operational with the U.S. Air Force. It has demonstrated Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Iran, and Syria. The company has an extensive product portfolio ranging from UAV platforms, sensor systems, and ground control stations and is one of the most prominent players in the tactical and strategic UAV market. General Atomics is one of the leading contractors of unmanned aerial systems for the U.S. armed forces and generates most of its revenue from the U.S. with the sale of its Predator and Sky Guardian drones as prime revenue pockets.
By Class
By Technology
By System
By Application
By Region
Frequently Asked Questions
The growth of the global UAV market is driven by several factors, including the increasing adoption of drones in military and defense applications, the rising demand for drones in commercial sectors like agriculture, delivery, and inspection, and technological advancements such as AI integration and improved sensors.
Key commercial applications for UAVs globally include agriculture (precision farming and crop monitoring), infrastructure inspection, media and entertainment (aerial photography and filming), logistics and delivery, and public safety (disaster management, search and rescue).
Some major technological trends in the UAV market include AI and machine learning integration, autonomous flying capabilities, 5G connectivity, and improved battery life and propulsion systems. These innovations are enhancing UAV performance and expanding their use cases across industries.
Key challenges include regulatory hurdles, particularly related to drone usage in commercial airspaces; privacy concerns associated with drone surveillance; safety issues, and limited battery life and flight times of current UAV models.
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