Global Drone Industry Survey Results: Key Insights

The latest Global Drone Industry Survey by Drone Industry Insights has now closed, and it’s time for some preliminary insights. This year’s survey gathered 965 [valid] responses from an impressive 94 countries. Though it will still be a few weeks before the final insights and data are released, here is a glimpse into this year’s participation.

 

Notably, the United States accounted for a significant concentration of responses, indicating a strong engagement within one of the most active drone markets in the world. The survey also reached the remaining parts of North and South America, collecting responses from every country in South America besides Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname, and French Guyana.

European countries, such as Germany and the United Kingdom received their traditionally high levels of participation. Nevertheless, countries like Spain and Italy also demonstrated considerable engagement, suggesting that their vibrant drone ecosystem is on par with the aforementioned neighbors that usually receive more attention. 

In Asia, the leading countries in terms of participation were China, India, Japan and South Korea. In addition to being the leading economies in Asia, this also emphasizes their roles as key players in the drone industry. Additionally, Australia showed a significant level of participation, highlighting the country's growing interest and investment in drone technology.
As in previous years, a significant portion of respondents were small enterprises. However, it is imperative to note that this is an inherent feature of the drone market (i.e. the global drone market is primarily made up of smaller companies).

Companies with 2-10 employees constituted the largest group, with approximately 400 responses. This was followed by firms employing 11-50 people, which contributed around 200 responses. Meanwhile, larger companies with 51-200 employees had a moderate presence, and very large enterprises (those with over 500 employees) were less common but nevertheless present.

This distribution underscores that the drone industry is predominantly made up of small to medium-sized enterprises, with a substantial number of micro-enterprises and startups playing a crucial role. These smaller entities are often at the forefront of innovation, driving technological advancements and exploring new applications for drones across various sectors.

The survey results align with broader industry trends observed over recent years. According to the latest data, the global drone market is expected to grow from $33.7 billion in 2023 to approximately $54.7 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%. This rapid growth is driven by increasing adoption across diverse sectors such as agriculture, construction, real estate, and logistics. Additionally, regulatory developments in various countries are shaping the landscape of the drone industry. For instance, advancements in unmanned traffic management (UTM) systems and the integration of drones into national airspace are paving the way for more widespread and complex drone operations.
 
The global survey conducted by Drone Industry Insights has become a pillar to measure the state of the drone industry, and the free white paper provides the latest insights derives from that survey. Stay tuned for the final results sometime in September, and we also look forward to the announcement of prize winners!