PUBLISHER: Orion Market Research | PRODUCT CODE: 1758741
PUBLISHER: Orion Market Research | PRODUCT CODE: 1758741
LiDAR Drones Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Drone Type (Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing), by Range (Short, Medium, and Long), and by Application (Corridor Mapping, Archaeology, Construction, Entertainment, Defense, Precision Agriculture and Others) Forecast Period (2025-2035)
Industry Overview
LiDAR drone market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.2% during the forecast period (2025-2035). LiDAR is useful in a range of environments and spaces as it can capture data that may be difficult for other methods of scanning, such as areas with dense vegetation. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors use light energy, emitted from a laser, to scan the ground and measure variable distances. The growing adoption of LiDAR drones' bathymetric equipment, with the improving high-precision Lidar equipment, is the key factor supporting the growth of the market globally. The key advantage of the new LiDAR drone bathymetric equipment is to capture a riverbed with centimeter-level accuracy, at high speed in fully automatic mode, and without using any boat. It allows us to work in hard-to-access and shallow water areas. Hence, the market players are also focusing on introducing LiDAR drone-based solutions that further bolster the market growth.
Market Dynamics
Technological Advancements Expanding Application Possibilities
The integration of IoT and AI in Lidar Drone, such as real-time monitoring, enhanced sensor capabilities, and improved battery life, is driving the development of more efficient and accurate LIDAR drones. Furthermore, modern LiDAR drones can now collect up to one million data points per second, compared to early systems that captured only 5,000 points per second. This technological advancement has created new use cases and improved the actionable intelligence derived from collected data, driving further market expansion across both established and emerging application segments. For instance, RIEGL USA Offers VUX-240 which makes use of RIEGL's unique Waveform-LiDAR technology, allowing echo digitization and online waveform processing.
Rising Demand for LiDAR Drone across Diverse Industries
Simultaneously, rising demand for the use of LIDAR drones for corridor mapping, construction site monitoring, defense and security sectors, and precision agriculture is boosting the demand for LiDAR drones in these sectors. In the construction sector, LiDAR drones provide comprehensive site surveys, progress monitoring, and volumetric calculations that significantly improve project efficiency In the agricultural sector, LiDAR drones enable precision agriculture such as LiDAR drones for crop monitoring, yield optimization, and resource management, enabling data-driven farming practices that maximize productivity while minimizing environmental impact. Additionally, in the defense and security sectors, the demand for LiDAR drones continues to grow for applications including terrain mapping, surveillance, and tactical planning. Similarly, utility companies are deploying LiDAR drones for infrastructure inspection and maintenance planning, dramatically reducing costs and improving safety compared to traditional manual inspection methods.
Market Segmentation
Among the range, the short sub-segment is expected to hold a considerable share of the global LiDAR drone market. The segmental growth is attributed to the growing influence of the LiDAR drone system that operates in a raster scan mode for surveillance missions and a side-to-side line scan mode for area mapping. The intuitive command and control, and high-brightness display integrated into the ground control station (GCS) allow operators to monitor and optimize data collection missions, an offering that is unique in the global market of small UAV LiDAR systems. Moreover, Short-range LiDAR drones, typically operating within 500 meters, serve applications requiring detailed scanning of confined areas, including construction site monitoring, archaeological excavations, and structural inspections. The medium-range segment, covering operations between 500 meters and 2 kilometers, represents the largest market share, balancing operational range with data density for applications such as industrial facility mapping and urban planning. Additionally, Long-range LiDAR drones, operating beyond 2 kilometers, are used in specialized applications such as extensive corridor mapping, forest inventory assessment, and large-scale topographical surveys. This segment is experiencing significant growth due to technological advancements improving battery life, sensor capabilities, and autonomous navigation systems.
The global LiDAR drones market is further divided by region, including North America (the US and Canada), Europe (the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, and the Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, ASEAN Countries, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific), and the Rest of the World (the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America).
Among all regions, the North America region is anticipated to grow at a considerable CAGR over the forecast period. Regional growth is attributed to growing demands in varying industries, from mining to agriculture and construction to forestry. The prevalence of high military budgets coupled with rising investment in technological innovations in the defense sector are the major factors attributable to the growth of the LIDAR drone market in this region. According to the Foundation for Defense and Democracies the global (FDD) in December 2024, the global LiDAR market is projected to exceed $2.8 billion in the upcoming year, driven by demand for high-resolution mapping, autonomous systems, and automation technologies. Moreover, North America accounted for 36.6 percent of LiDAR-related revenue in 2021, the highest percentage in the world. Additionally, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2023, drones by the numbers, 863,728 drones registered, 352,222 commercial drones registered, and 506,635 recreational drones registered in the US. Furthermore, LiDAR sensor technology has been advancing, with improved accuracy, range, and point cloud density, enabling more precise mapping and data collection. This has significantly contributed to the adoption of LiDAR drone technology and its applications, such as drones.
Asia-Pacific Shows Highest Growth Rate
The Asia-Pacific region, particularly emerging countries such as China and India, represents the fastest-growing regional market. This growth is driven by rapid industrialization, infrastructure development programs, and increasing technology adoption across multiple sectors. China's ambitious infrastructure initiatives, including smart city development and transportation network expansion, create substantial demand for LiDAR drone technology. As per the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) until 2018, the global LiDAR market was largely dominated by US-based companies. However, since 2018, Chinese technology firms such as Hesai, Robosense, Seyond, and Livox have been rapidly expanding their global presence. This growth has been strongly supported by China's strategic industrial policies, including government subsidies and favorable tariffs, aligned with the broader civil-military integration framework. Notably, Hesai has emerged as a key market leader, accounting for approximately 47% of the global LiDAR market share by sales revenue, reflecting the rising influence of Chinese players in the international LiDAR ecosystem.
The major companies operating in the global LiDAR Drones market include Leica Geosystems AG - Part of Hexagon, Ouster Inc., SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd., and Teledyne FLIR LLC, among others. Market players are leveraging partnerships, collaborations, mergers, and acquisition strategies for business expansion and innovative product development to maintain their market positioning.
Recent Developments