US UAS Applications for Infrastructure Inspection and Construction Growth Opportunities

Future Growth Potential of Commercial UAS due to Increase in Federal Spending on Construction and Infrastructure

This research service focuses on the impact of current events, such as the infrastructure bill and supply chain disruptions, on the US commercial unmanned aerial system (UAS) market for construction and infrastructure inspection applications.

Information has been garnered from existing reports and project material within the analyst's database, including technical papers, specialized magazines, seminars, and internet research. Senior consultants/industry analysts have interviewed original equipment suppliers, service providers, and other key industry participants involved with the commercial UAS market in the US. Primary research accounts for approximately 20% of the total research.

Research Highlights

This study highlights how the infrastructure bill will drive exponential growth for UAS platforms designed for applications in the construction sector. It identifies the importance of infrastructure construction and renewal for the US government and how federal investment directed to satisfy this need will be shaped by the current geopolitical tension with China, making US drone manufacturers one of the main beneficiaries. In addition, technological innovations in artificial intelligence and autonomy in drone hardware will increase the incentives for construction companies to implement UAS solutions. It will reduce the costs needed to implement a drone program and make drones apt for complex operations, such as bridge inspections.

The current skilled labor shortage will increase the demand for drones as companies focus on labor-saving equipment. Restraints include the current chip shortage affecting supply chains worldwide that will stunt the production of enterprise UAS and a lack of clear policy regarding beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, which would permit UAS applications to scale. The report illustrates the importance of drones for this industry by listing several tasks that drones can perform more efficiently than traditional methods. It saves construction companies both time and labor costs and categorizes the different UAS programs that companies can use for UAS applications.

Research Benefits

The main objective of this research service is to help firms understand the various growth opportunities that arise as a result of these developments. The report points out certain key opportunities that will benefit the most due to increased federal spending, including bridge, railway, and power line inspections, and how certain companies are already applying UAS applications for these areas. The research presented in the study is obtained from secondary and primary sources and combines quantitative and qualitative information.