PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1810113
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1810113
Electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are aircraft that operate without a human pilot onboard and utilize electric propulsion systems along with a fixed-wing structure. This configuration enables them to produce lift through forward motion instead of relying on rotor mechanisms. These UAVs are often favored for missions requiring extended duration due to their energy-efficient flight characteristics and lower noise levels.
The primary classifications of electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) include small, medium, and large UAVs. Small UAVs are typically defined as lightweight systems weighing less than 55 pounds, and are designed for flexible use in surveillance, tactical, and reconnaissance missions. Based on technology, these UAVs are segmented into fixed-wing electric UAVs, hybrid electric UAVs, fully autonomous UAVs, and remotely piloted UAVs. They are capable of operating over different ranges, including beyond line of sight, visual line of sight, and extended visual line of sight. These UAVs serve various applications across the military, government, and commercial sectors, and are utilized in a wide range of industries such as agriculture, military and defense, logistics and transportation, construction, energy and utilities, and environmental monitoring.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The rapid escalation of U.S. tariffs and the resulting trade tensions in spring 2025 are significantly impacting the construction sector, particularly in materials procurement and project costs. Higher duties on imported steel, aluminum, lumber, and machinery have driven up expenses for builders, contractors, and infrastructure developers, leading to increased project bids and delayed timelines. Construction equipment manufacturers face similar challenges, with tariffs on essential components and raw materials inflating production costs and squeezing margins. Additionally, retaliatory tariffs in international markets have curtailed exports of U.S.-made construction equipment and materials, further affecting profitability. The sector must now prioritize local sourcing, modular construction techniques, and supply chain diversification to control costs and ensure project viability amid ongoing trade uncertainties.
The electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles market research report is one of a series of new publications from The Business Research Company that covers statistics on the electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles industry, including the global market size, regional distribution, major competitors, detailed market segmentation, trends, and growth opportunities. This comprehensive report offers an all-encompassing view of the electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles market, supported by thorough analysis of both current and future market conditions.
The electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $4.30 billion in 2024 to $4.83 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to military modernization programs, increasing use in intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), demand for border surveillance, cost reduction in drone manufacturing, and growth in hybrid-electric propulsion systems.
The electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $7.56 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. Anticipated drivers of this growth during the forecast period include the increasing need for autonomous delivery technologies, rising utilization in agricultural monitoring, favorable government policies on drone usage, diversification of commercial drone functions, and higher funding in drone-as-a-service models. Key trends expected to shape the market include progress in battery innovation, integration with 5G infrastructure, downsizing of onboard components, deployment of AI for self-navigation, and development of lightweight UAVs with extended flight durations.
The rising adoption of precision agriculture is expected to propel the growth of the electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles market going forward. Precision agriculture refers to a farming management approach that uses technology such as GPS, sensors, and data analytics to optimize field-level management regarding crop farming. The rising adoption of precision agriculture is primarily due to the increasing need to maximize crop yields while minimizing resource usage through data-driven decision-making technologies such as GPS-guided equipment, remote sensing, and variable rate application systems. The electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles are used in precision agriculture to provide efficient, high-resolution aerial surveillance for crop monitoring, soil analysis, and resource management over large farmlands. For instance, in 2025, according to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, an Australia-based government department, around 6,600 companies use controlled traffic farming on 6.7 million hectares, making it the most used precision agriculture technique. Furthermore, in January 2024, according to the Government Accountability Office, a US-based government agency, in 2023, 27% of farms and ranches across the United States implemented precision agriculture practices to manage their crops or livestock. Therefore, the rising adoption of precision agriculture is driving the growth of the electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles market.
Leading companies in the electric-driven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles market are emphasizing the creation of innovative products like drones with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) functionality to improve operational versatility and eliminate runway dependency. VTOL UAVs are capable of launching, hovering, and landing vertically without traditional runway infrastructure. For example, in September 2024, T-DRONES, an aviation and aerospace component company based in China, introduced the VA17, a fully electric tiltrotor VTOL UAV engineered for fast deployment and long endurance flights of up to 120 minutes. This drone merges VTOL features with efficient fixed-wing cruising, making it ideal for use in restricted or remote locations. Constructed with lightweight carbon fiber and EPP foam, the drone maintains durability and stability under tough environmental conditions. It also includes an advanced power system, dual redundant power sources for safety, and can support payloads up to 900 grams.
In October 2022, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), a US-based aerospace company, completed the acquisition of Volansi's assets and intellectual property for an undisclosed amount. This move was aimed at bolstering SNC's unmanned aerial vehicle offerings, particularly through continued support of the Voly Tactical (Voly-T) drone for the US Army's Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program. Additionally, the acquisition allows SNC to scale operations using Volansi's manufacturing facility located in Bend, Oregon. Volansi is a US-based company recognized for producing VTOL drones, including the Voly-T UAV.
Major players in the electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market are The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, General Atomics, Anduril Industries Inc., AeroVironment Inc., Quantum-Systems GmbH, Edge Autonomy Inc., Wingtra AG, Delair SAS, AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc., JOUAV Technology Co. Ltd., T-DRONES Co. Ltd., BlueBird Aero Systems Ltd., Survey Copter GmbH, Aeromao d.o.o., ElevonX Inc., Atmos UAV Ltd., DeltaQuad Inc., Ukrspecsystems.
North America was the largest region in the electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
The countries covered in the electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as aerial surveillance and monitoring, agricultural surveying, infrastructure inspection, and aerial photography and videography. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market also includes sales of airframes, electric propulsion systems, flight control systems, onboard sensors, lithium-based batteries, payload integration modules, communication systems, and ground control stations. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Electric-Driven Fixed Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The electric-driven fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.