The global commercial drones market size was US$ 3.36 billion in 2021. The global commercial drones market size is forecast to reach US$ 22 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.8% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2030.

Drones are aircraft that can operate remotely from the ground using an embedded program or can fly autonomously with the help of a computer program. Commercial drones are unmanned aerial vehicles designed for commercial purposes, including risk mitigation, resource planning, research & excavation, urban planning, engineering, farming management, tourism, aerial imaging, LiDAR applications, cargo management, weather monitoring, traffic control, green mapping, and other applications. In addition to agriculture and the environment, media & entertainment, energy, government, and others use these applications as business solutions.

Factors Influencing Market Growth

• The development of location-based services such as e-commerce companies, food delivery services, shopping apps, tourism websites, social networking apps, and so forth is forecast to boost the global market growth.
• Satellite imagery as a substitute option and stringent government regulations relating to national security may slow down the global market growth.
• Technological advancements such as motion sensors, temperature sensors, 3D mapping software, drones, and others have substantially increased the global market growth opportunities.

Impact Analysis of COVID-19

Globally, the rapid spread of COVID-19 has significantly impacted the global commercial drone market. It is due to the adoption of strict lockdown measures around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic posed several challenges for the commercial drone industry, including disruptions in the supply chain of raw materials and logistics challenges. In contrast, commercial drones technology manufacturers had to cut expansion and R&D investments to cope with declining revenue and operating performance. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted the global market growth.

Regional Insights

North America accounts for the majority of market revenue. Globally, the U.S. captured the leading share of the commercial drone market in North America in 2021. Due to the increase in R&D activities, technological developments by key players, and rapid adoption of innovative technologies, commercial drones are more precise, accurate, and efficient. 

Asia-Pacific is forecast to experience significant growth during the forecast period. The adoption of commercial drones is on the increase across several Asian nations, such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea.

Leading Competitors

The leading prominent companies profiled in the global commercial drone market are:

• AeroVironment, Incorporated
• Aeryon Labs Incorporated
• Delair
• DJI Technology Co., Limited
• Insitu Inc.
• Leptron Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Incorporated
• Parrot SA
• PrecisionHawk Incorporated
• SKYDIO
• Yuneec International Co. Limited
• Other Prominent Players

Scope of the Report

The global commercial drones market segmentation focuses on Type, Mode of Operation, Application, and Region.

Segmentation based on Type

• Fixed Wing
• Rotary
• Hybrid

Segmentation based on Mode of Operation

• Remotely Operated
• Semi-Autonomous
• Autonomous

Segmentation based on Application

• Agriculture and Environment
• Media and Entertainment
• Energy
• Government
• Construction
• Others

Segmentation based on Region

• North America
• The U.S.
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• Western Europe
• The UK
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Western Europe
• Eastern Europe
• Poland
• Russia
• Rest of Eastern Europe
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia & New Zealand
• ASEAN
• Rest of Asia Pacific
• Middle East & Africa (MEA)
• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa
• Rest of MEA
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of South America