The drone service market involves deploying unmanned aerial systems or drones to perform inspection, surveying, 3D mapping, aerial photography, product deliveries, precision agriculture, and more. Drone technology is gaining popularity across various commercial sectors for monitoring assets, infrastructure, gathering real-time data and analytics. Drones help businesses streamline operations, reduce costs, improve worker safety, and maximize efficiency by automating processes. For instance, drones enable construction and engineering firms to 3D map sites, assess progress, detect defects non-invasively. Similarly, in agriculture, drones capture crop health from an aerial view and enable precision spraying of fertilizers and pesticides based on field conditions.
The global drone service market is estimated to be valued at US$ 12.57 billion in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 39% over the forecast period 2024-2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.
Market Dynamics:
Increased demand for commercial applications is expected to drive the growth of the drone service market over the forecast period. As mentioned in the heading, drones are finding increasing usage across various industry verticals for monitoring assets and infrastructure, 3D mapping, precision agriculture, product deliveries and more. This is increasing the demand for drone services from companies operating in these sectors. For example, energy and utility firms deploy drones for inspections of remote wind turbines, solar panels, transmission lines and pipelines more efficiently. Similarly, in public safety sector, drones help law enforcement agencies and search teams for search and rescue missions, assess damage during natural disasters and monitor crowds. The second driver is the advancements in drone technology which is improving efficacy and automation. Developments like vertical take-off and landing drones, sense-and-avoid systems and drone traffic management are automating processes and making drones more user-friendly for commercial deployments. This is encouraging more organizations to leverage drones, thereby propelling the drone service market growth over the forecast period.
Segment Analysis
The drone service market is dominated by the commercial application segment which holds around 60% of the total market share. Commercial applications include areas like logistics & transportation, telecommunication & IT, construction & infrastructure, agriculture and forestry, media & entertainment, energy & utilities, security & surveillance. The commercial applications segment is dominating as drones are increasingly being used for various purposes like cargo and parcel deliveries, infrastructure inspections, agricultural surveying, filmmaking and monitoring services.
PEST Analysis
Political: Regulations regarding drone usage has become more lenient in many countries which is encouraging the growth of commercial drone services. However, differing regulations in different regions can still hamper cross-border operations.
Economic: The strong economic growth in sectors like e-commerce, construction, agriculture is driving the demand for commercial drone services to improve productivity and efficiency. Lower costs of drone operations compared to traditional methods further propels their adoption.
Social: Drones raise less privacy and safety concerns when used for commercial purposes compared to personal/recreational use. Their utilization in areas like emergency response and search & rescue operations garners greater social acceptance.
Technological: Advancements in drone hardware including superior cameras, longer flight times and autonomous flight features along with data analytics capabilities are supporting the delivery of diverse commercial services.
Key Takeaways
The global drone service market is expected to witness high growth over the forecast period.
Regional analysis: North America is the largest and fastest growing regional market for drone services. This is attributed to significant technological advancements and growing commercial applications of drones in countries like the US and Canada. The availability of advanced infrastructure and supportive regulations also contribute to the high adoption of drones for various services across industries.
Key players operating in the drone service market are Unmanned Experts Inc., Aerodyne Group, Terra Drone Corporation, Cyberhawk, Sharper Shape, Dronedeploy, Sensefly, Edall Systems, Precisionhawk, and Phoenix Drone Services LLC.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
Money Singh is a seasoned content writer with over four years of experience in the market research sector. Her expertise spans various industries, including food and beverages, biotechnology, chemicals and materials, defense and aerospace, consumer goods, etc.