Commercial Drones Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The global commercial drone market is poised to grow from US$33.421 billion in 2024 to US$75.787 billion in 2029 at a 17.79% (CAGR).
Commercial drones are UAVs used in industrial sectors for various applications such as mapping, transporting or cargo delivery, and security surveying. Favorable regulations across different countries or regions pave the way for a wider application of drone technology worldwide.

Businesses across various end-user industries use drones for multiple commercial applications besides basic surveillance and photography. For instance, in the agricultural sector, drones are used to perform timely crop monitoring activities, which helps in preventing yield loss. In the retail sector, drones are being increasingly used for delivery services by retail stores. The ongoing investment and contract establishment by the government & defense with drone manufacturers has provided further market growth opportunities.

Global Commercial Drones Market Drivers:

Growing investments to propel market expansion.

Rising R&D investments in developing new drone applications, as well as the use of drones for testing, are also fueling global commercial drone market growth. For instance, in April 2024, Fotokite secured US$11 million in funding, which it would use to expand its R&D operations and further enhance the development of its actively-tethered drone technology, which would provide public safety.

Additionally, drone applicability in other major sectors such as oil & gas, power, and energy has expanded the overall scale of their industrial applicability, with major companies namely Royal Dutch, BP and ExxonMobil already showing investment in drone technology for enhancing their productivity.

The high convenience offered during delivery has accelerated commercial drone market growth.

Commercial drones are equipped with advanced sensors, cameras, and software that enable their operators to know their surroundings and at what speed they operate their UAVs. In major sectors such as agriculture, retail, and media entertainment, the usage of drones provides high-performance benefits in terms of time and cost-saving, which increase the overall convenience of performing any task that requires wider area coverage. Witnessing how drones bolster optimum utilization, their preference will increase in the coming years.

The COVID-19 global pandemic outbreak has significantly boosted the demand for commercial drones for various applications. Countries are using drones to prevent further transmission of this deadly disease. Tamil Nadu (India) used a drone to spray disinfectant over Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai.

Global Commercial Drones Market Segmentation Analysis

The retail sector poised to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period

End-user-wise, the global commercial drone market is segmented into agriculture, energy, retail, government, media and entertainment, and others. The retail industry will experience significant growth during the forecast period fueled by the ongoing efforts by retailers globally to develop new ways to make their supply chains more efficient while driving cost-effectiveness. Hence, this has led to the establishment of strategic collaborations with major market players

Likewise, the agriculture sector, on the other is set to grow at the quickest rate, which is attributable to the growing applicability of drones in fertilizers & pesticide spraying, and crop & soil monitoring. Drone manufacturers such as DJI, Aonics, and Aerodyne Group have actively participated in developing UVAs to cater to farmers in various applications. Booming demand in other applications, such as disaster management, is also set to expand the overall market demand.

Global Commercial Drones Market Geographical Outlook

North America is projected to witness a significant growth

Geography-wise, the North American region accounted for a significant share of the global Commercial Drones market in 2022. This is attributable to the implementation of regulations in major regional economies, the U.S. and Canada, regarding the use of commercial drones, which will boost the demand for commercial drones.

For instance, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) “UAS Integration Pilot Program (UAS IPP)” allows states to test drone flights in various ways otherwise prohibited by the FAA’s rules governing the operation of drones weighing less than 55 pounds. Additionally, the country is also witnessing a high strength of drone owners. According to the Federal Aviation Association “Fiscal Forecast 2023-2043”, by the end of December 2022, over 1.47 million new recreational drone owners were registered with the FAA.

Asia Pacific will witness remarkable growth during the forecast period, fueled by favorable investments and ongoing implementation schemes in the major countries to bolster drone manufacturing. For instance, the “Drone Scheme” launched in September 2021, under the Indian government’s “Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme” aims to promote drone and its components manufacturing in India.

Global Commercial Drones Key Developments

• May 2024: Axon formed a definitive agreement to acquire airspace security provider Dedonre. The acquisition will integrate the company's technical expertise in creating cutting-edge drone solutions for airports, events venues, critical infrastructure, utilities, and other public places.
• May 2024, DragonFly showcased its new UAV technology at the “Special Operation Force (SOF) Week 2024” held in Florida. The showcased products included the company’s “Commander 3XL Drone,” which is specifically designed to meet government and military requirements.
• August 2023: DJI launched its upgraded flagship drone, “DJI Matric 350 RTK”, which is ideal for various applications such as infrastructure & forestry, energy, and public safety. The commercial drone features an enhanced FPV camera and incorporates a multi-redundancy design that enables it to work in harsh environments as well.
• August 2023: A2Z Drone Delivery Inc. launched its cargo commercial drone, “RDST Longtail,” which, due to its robust design, can deliver a load capacity of 8.9kg. With a speed of 20m/s and a weather-resistant airframe, the drone can operate in diverse weather conditions. To optimize connectivity, it also features a long-range radio plus a 4G network.
• March 2023: Ondas Holdings Inc. announced that its subsidiary Airobotics Ltd. Acquired Israel-based autonomous counter-drone solution provider Iron Drone Ltd. Integrating the latter’s drone technology in its business unit will enable Ondas to provide government-grade drones for homeland security applications.

The Global Commercial Drones market is segmented and analyzed as:

By Type

• Fixed Wing
• Single Rotor
• Multi-Rotor

By End-User

• Agriculture
• Energy
• Retail
• Government
• Media and Entertainment
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• France
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• South Korea
• Australia
• India
• Others