Drone Market Analysis 2022-2030

As autumn begins and the foliage changes, it’s time for a new edition of our flagship drone market analysis. The new Drone Market Report 2022 features the latest business intelligence of the drone market with all sectors (hardware, software, services), 17 industry verticals, in-depth look at top 10 country markets by market size, breakdowns by region, country, commercial vs recreational, unit sales, and much more. In this blog, we want to take the opportunity to provide some insights from the report as well as why we take the time to provide a new edition every year.

In 2022, the global drone market is worth an estimated US$30.6 billion, and our updated market model forecasts a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 7.8% until 2030. This figure encompasses both the commercial and the recreational drone markets. When analysed separately, the commercial market is set to expand at a faster rate of 8.3% while the recreational market is likely to contract in many regions. However, there is still some chance that excitement around cool technology such as first-person-view drones (e.g. the recently-released DJI Avata) might provide additional boost to the recreational market. Overall, our drone market analysis shows that the market as a whole (commercial + recreational) will be worth US$55.8 billion by the year 2030.

This year we have expanded our forecast horizon beyond 5 years and all the way to 2030. Among the reasons for this is the increased maturity and security of the drone market, which makes revenues more predictable and thereby allows forecasts to become even more reliable. Additionally, there have been a lot of movements in the regulatory space, which encompass both delays as well as advances in new legislation. So, a market projection until 2030 provides a timeframe that allows for the effects of these laws to take place and for activities to ramp up and operations to be scaled once drone companies adjust to these regulations.

One other way in which our drone market analysis has expanded this year is the fact that even more countries are represented in our data (much like in our latest Drone Industry Barometer). The level of drone adoption has continued to increase, and there are more and more drone companies active in various parts of the world. So this year’s model has increased coverage of almost all of Africa, as well as even more companies in places like the Middle East and the Caribbean. This ability to quantify more regional markets increases the estimated revenue/value in our drone market analysis, which thereby impacts the overall global forecast.

We previously made an analogy between drone delivery and washing machines, and in this case our flagship drone market analysis is more like a flagship cell phone such as the iPhone. Both are the primary products that each brand is known for, both receive an upgrade every year, and both of these open the door to a world of possibilities by providing a strong foundation for an endless number of applications. However, these differ fundamentally in the sense that a new iPhone simply adds new features to an already-good product, while a drone market analysis is a never-ending quest to hit a constantly-moving target, and each new edition tracks where the target has moved and where it should be headed.

In terms of tracking a moving target, the drone market report paints a picture of the overall global market by focusing on each smaller component and threading them together into a broader view (our bottom-up approach). This broader view is the first thing presented in the report (i.e. total drone market), and each subsequent chapter digs deeper and deeper into various segments of the market. From hardware market size per region, to forecasting market size of drones used in construction per country, or analyzing unit sales of commercial units in China, our drone market analysis crafts a comprehensive view of the market in all its aspects for the next 8 years.

Each year, we dedicate full-time to following what happens with drone investments, drone regulation, drone applications, and everything related to drone technology. We publish individual reports on each of these topics, yet all of this information culminates in our yearly Drone Market Report. This drone market analysis supports companies ranging from small start-ups to large multinational corporations.

One of the multinational corporations, Sony, said: “We use the Drone Market Report frequently as it helps us a lot in our internal decision-making process. It is difficult to find high-quality drone reports but DRONEII’s report is reliable and is covering important factors.” In addition to helping companies decide on the best business plan or focus for their business, it also supports them by providing the business intelligence to boost revenue in their current markets or to enter a completely new market. Our yearly-updated forecast allows drone companies to select target regions and industries that have the highest market potential for their solutions.

Whether you are seeking to understand the market size for drones used for Health Care in Asia in 2030 (US$932M), the growth rate of drones in Mining in Canada (12.5% CAGR), or the region with the fastest rate of commercial drone unit sales (Middle East & Africa), our drone market analysis provides updated figures using the latest market information.

As always, our 230-page drone market report breaks down the global market by segment (hardware, software, services), by industry sector (Energy, Construction, Agriculture, etc), by application method (e.g. Mapping & Surveying, Inspection, and Delivery among others) and provides a more in-depth look into all regional markets as well as a deeper analysis of the top 10 countries for drones.

Most uniquely, our drone market analysis also includes unit sales, the latest developments in drone regulation, and a final chapter on drone industry trends that have the power to enhance or even create drone applications.