As we approach the end of another calendar year, it’s time to review the commercial drone landscape of 2024. This year, we have prepared a unique Global Drone Review with combined insights on market trends, operations data, company rankings, and growth insights. Here is a brief teaser into the various insights included.

In addition to a decade’s worth of data and market reviews, this report shows that small enterprises continue to dominate the commercial drone sector, with 55% of companies operating lean teams under ten employees. The market composition (based exclusively on the survey) shows drone service providers leading at 74%, while hardware manufacturers represent 18% and drone software developers account for 7% of the ecosystem.

The drone software segment emerges as 2024’s success story, breaking a critical revenue barrier that typically constrains industry scaling. This achievement starkly contrasts other segments, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities within different drone market verticals.

In addition to powerhouses such as China and Japan, other countries such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom have emerged as premier destinations for drone technology deployment and business expansion. Despite these established markets, the industry maintains strong domestic roots, with most drone companies exporting less than 20% of their products and services abroad.

This trend to local “production” mainly affects drone service providers, while hardware and software manufacturers demonstrate greater success in international market penetration. The pattern suggests untapped potential in cross-border operations, especially for service-based drone businesses seeking expansion opportunities.

Flight operations data reveals substantial growth, with Asia leading global drone deployment. Total flights have reached 19.5 million, representing an increase from last year, and Asia continues to be the leading region for drone operations. Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa region showcases pioneering operational models, with the (relatively) highest share of BVLOS flights. This high proportion of advanced flight modes indicates evolving regulatory frameworks and growing technical capabilities in emerging markets.

Mapping and surveying applications continue to lead commercial drone deployments, capturing 29% of internal business services and 35% of service provider operations. The inspection sector shows remarkable growth compared to 2023.

Advanced drone applications are diversifying across seventeen distinct industry verticals, with photography, filming, and specialized industrial uses gaining prominence. This expansion indicates deepening market maturity and broader acceptance of drone technology across industries.

Chinese manufacturers maintain market dominance in commercial drone production, with DJI leading the market. However, the manufacturing landscape is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and strongly specialized manufacturers are emerging in key market segments.

The dual-use drone sector presents a more diverse geographic distribution, particularly with American manufacturers securing significant market positions. This segmentation reflects a growing awareness of strategic manufacturing capabilities and the importance of domestic production capacity.

Market confidence has recovered to a “cautious optimism” level, with the industry expectations index climbing to 6.8 in 2024. Drone manufacturers display particular optimism, recording an unprecedented confidence level of 7.5, signaling strong growth potential despite ongoing challenges. This could be caused by initiatives taken against Chinese-made drones (particularly in the US), which could open some market share, though that remains to be seen.

Regulatory frameworks continue evolving, with 65% of service providers now equipped for advanced mission profiles. While approval processes often extend beyond one month, this standardization indicates maturing industry infrastructure and improving operational predictability.

Our annual rankings encompass commercial manufacturers, dual-use manufacturers, remote sensing operators, and drone delivery operators. The rankings revealed significant dynamism in the industry, with substantial position changes throughout the categories. Several companies made their debut in the top 20 rankings, while others departed from these positions.

Notable shifts occurred as some companies transitioned between categories, particularly from commercial manufacturing to dual-use applications. The commercial manufacturing segment maintained a strong Chinese presence, while the dual-use category notably excluded Chinese manufacturers, potentially indicating early effects of drone ban policies.

The drone industry demonstrates increasing operational sophistication and market specialization. Advanced mission capabilities and complex use cases are becoming standard, suggesting a shift toward more sophisticated commercial applications. Technology integration and market adaptation continue driving industry growth, with particular emphasis on software solutions and specialized services. While scaling challenges persist, the commercial drone sector shows remarkable resilience and innovation, positioning itself for sustained expansion into 2025 and beyond.