Small Drones Market Forecasts to 2028 - Global Analysis By Type, Size, Power Source, Application, and By Geography

According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Small Drones Market is accounted for $23.27 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $66.41 billion by 2028 growing at a CAGR of 19.1% during the forecast period. A small drone is a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) that is small enough to be man-portable. These drones are used for collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing data of different objects, structures or areas from numerous sensors. Small drones consist of micro-drones and mini drones that weigh below 2 kg. They can be launched by hand or they takeoff vertically, hence requiring short or no runways. Further, they are useful for the collection of confidential or sensitive information about a private property or a private behaviour of the object.

Drones can travel at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour and transport products weighing less than 5 pounds, the delivery mechanism is projected to reduce delivery time and related expenses. Moreover, the drones market is anticipated to reach US$ 30 Billion by the end of 2022, anticipated to experience an impressive 25% CAGR from 2022-2032 to reach US$ 279 Billion by the end of the aforementioned forecast period, due to increase in carbon emission-free transport solutions and rising demand for photographic surveillance. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operating under the United States Department of Transportation, stated that till the year 2019 around 1,533,596 number of drones were registered in the United States alone, out of which, 428,245 numbers (28% of the total) were commercial drones and 1,101,564 numbers (72% of the total) were recreational drones.

Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Increasing espousal of drones for air logistics services

The commercial possible of the small drone has been gaining wide popularity across the industries for the last few years. The sovereignty in drone technologies is transforming operation methods and novel commercial applications. Drones are extensively used in the entertainment, media, advertisement, real estate, precision agriculture, surveying, remote sensing, construction, emergency management & disaster response, environment monitoring, and forest monitoring applications. In the year 2020, the commercial drone industry, which includes drones used for everything from mapping vineyards to monitoring construction, was doing significantly enhanced among the pandemic by growing 23%, up from 2018's figure of 18%. The growing demand for lightweight and faster delivery and transportation for logistics is anticipated to fuel the market growth during the forecast period.

Restraint:

Stringent drone rules

Due to augmented use of small drones for civilian applications, governments in urbanized economies draft laws and rules for the use of these UAV's to defend areas of historical, national, or natural significance. The technology of small drones has evolved so fast that the policy makers are not able to keep pace with it. Numerous countries have accepted drone use, especially for recreational use, as something that does not need to be highly regulated however monitored only for safety. For example, in the US, to fly a drone for recreational purposes, pilot must take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or to fly a drone for commercial purposes pilot must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. In India, no person shall operate an unmanned aircraft system without first registering it on the digital sky platform. The pilots here must carry a valid drone pilot certificate and only fly drones that are marked & registered.

Opportunity:

Development in drone technologies

The technology behind unmanned air systems has advanced quickly in recent years and accordingly, UAS can fly faster and further than ever before and are able to perform ever more sophisticated surveillance operations. Developments in weight, size, and power (SWaP) optimized technologies have driven these improvements, allowing smaller man-portable systems more flexible tactical capability. In addition, recent advancements in drone technologies such as longer flight time, fully autonomous drones, stabilization technology, and high-quality HDMI port have fuelled an unprecedented level of interest in these devices. Due to numerous benefits offered by small drones, the demand for small drones is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. For instance, in October 2021, Teledyne FLIR LLC launched the ION M640x tactical Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). ION M640x, the American designed, developed and manufactured unmanned aerial system (UAS) built on the capabilities of the ION M440 (a Blue sUAS) provides military and other government customers with best-in-class capabilities for their unique missions.

Threat:

High cost allied with devices and components

The unmanned aerial vehicle is a sophisticated technology that consists of different parts and components such as GIS, GPS, sensors, camera, motors, payload, power supply, and airframe. Small drones find several applications in the military & defense for intelligence and commercial purposes. UAV's are automated technologies that depend on diverse sensors, components, and software that are expensive to manufacture. Hence, the high costs of small drones are anticipated to hinder the future growth of the market. There are numerous restrictions imposed on the drones' practice for transportation and logistics in the U.S. and other countries owing to the lack of uniform air traffic management for UAVs.

The fixed-wing drones segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

The fixed-wing drones segment is estimated to have a lucrative growth, due to the long-range flying capabilities of the drones for several applications across the globe and high demand from the defense sector for surveillance and reconnaissance applications. These drones require extra space for takeoff operation, along with the operator enabling force to throw the drones in the air for launching.

The commercial & civil segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The commercial & civil segment is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR growth during the forecast period due to the increased espousal of small drones for various civil & commercial applications, such as surveying, monitoring, mapping, and remote sensing. Companies, like Amazon, have been planning to use small drones for faster delivery of goods. Medical institutions and hospitals are also considering the use of small drones to deliver medical packs during an emergency. With the changes in regulations on the use of commercial drones, the market for small drones is poised to register a steep rise, especially in the commercial and civil segment in the coming years.

Region with highest share:

North America is projected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period, due to well-developed IoT infrastructure, presence of prominent players operating in this region, rising usage of drones for military, logistic and, surveillance applications, increasing adoption of small drones for surveillance purpose at government headquarters and assemblies and rise in the utilization of small drones for border and maritime surveillance activities in several countries. The procurement of small UAVs is on a rise in the United States and Canada by the military, law enforcement, and commercial sector.

Region with highest CAGR:

Asia Pacific is projected to have the highest CAGR over the forecast period due to increasing government expenditure on defense sector, rising drone manufacturers, and new technology solutions for drones. Countries in APAC such as China, India, South Korea, and Australia have increased focus on the production of small drones for use in commercial and defense applications. India is a rapidly evolving market, especially in the small drones market.

Key players in the market

Some of the key players profiled in the Small Drones Market include The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman, Textron Inc., Elbit Systems, Ltd., BAE Systems, Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Aerovironment Inc., Microdrones GmbH, Israel Aerospace Industries, Thales Group, SAAB AB, Mzansi Aerospace Technologies, DJI, Aeronautics Group, Teledyne Technologies Inc., Autel Intelligent Technology Co., Raytheon Technologies Corp., and Zipline.

Key Developments:

In January 2021, BAE systems and UAVTEK partnered to deliver a tiny 'Bug' drone to the U.K. Army. Weighing in at just 196g, the battery-powered Bug is equipped with four rotors and capable of 40 minutes flight time. Its antennas can transmit images from the onboard high-res camera up to 2km.

In February, 2020: Mzansi Aerospace Technologies and Royal Haskoning DHV launched unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme. This program helps the start-ups in the drone industry to run their business successfully by giving them solid understanding.

In May, 2017: DJI launched remote controlled camera drone. This drone is small in size which fits in the palm easily and is used for real time video as this done is equipped with camera.

In January 2017, Thales was awarded a contract to deliver 105 SpyRanger Drones to the Defence Ministry of France. This development strategy enabled Thales to strengthen its strategic position in the small drones market.

Types Covered:

• Rotary Wing Drones
• Fixed-Wing Drones
• Hybrid/Transitional Wing Drones

Sizes Covered:

• Micro Drones
• Nano Drones
• Mini Drones

Power Sources Covered:

• Solar Cells
• Lithium-ion
• Fuel Cells
• Hybrid Cells
• Hydroge

Maximum Take-off Weight Covered:

• Above 25-150 Kg
• 5-25 Kg
• Less Than 5 Kg

Payloads Covered:

• Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Sensors
• Electronic Intelligence Payloads
• Cameras
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Radar
• Telemetry Systems
• Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Detection System
• Videoscreen

Applications Covered:

• Military & Defense
• Commercial & Civil
• Consumer
• Recreational
• Homeland Security

Regions Covered:

• North America
  • US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • Italy
  • France
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • Japan
  • China
  • India
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • South Korea
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• South America
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Qatar
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:

• Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
• Strategic recommendations for the new entrants
• Covers Market data for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2028
• Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)
• Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations
• Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends
• Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments
• Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

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