Thermal Drone Inspection Market

Thermal Drone Inspection Market Outlook (2023-2033)

The global thermal drone market will reach a valuation of US$ 282.4 million in 2023 and is further expected to progress at a CAGR of 13.4% to reach US$ 993.1 million by the end of 2033.

In 2023, the global drone services market is estimated to be valued around US$ 6.6 billion, while the drone inspection service market will be valued near about US$ 2 billion. Thermal drone inspection is one of the prominent segment in revenue generation from drone inspection services, wherein revenue from thermal drone inspection services accounted for nearly 14% share of the global drone market at the end of 2022.

Report Attributes	Details
Market Size (2022A)	US$ 244.6 million
Estimated Market Value (2023E)	US$ 282.4 million
Forecasted Market Value (2033F)	US$ 993.1 million
Global Market Growth Rate (2023-2033)	13.4% CAGR
North America Market Share (2023)	~29.2%
North America Market Value (2023)	US$ 82.5 million
Europe Market Share (2023)	~32.1%
Europe Market Value (2023)	US$ 90.8 million
China Market Share (2023)	~12.5%
China Market Value (2023)	US$ 35.2 million
Market Share of Top 3 Countries	~41%
Key Companies Profiled	Adevexure Bristol Drone Services DJM Drone Safe Drone Works Dronegenuity Elistair Exertherm GeoWGS84 Corp. Hysurv Region One Survey Rising View The Drone Life Vertex Access Workswell

Historical Adoption Analysis of Thermal Drone Inspection (2018-2021) Vs Forecast Market Outlook (2023-2033)

Thermal drone inspection is used as thermal camera equipment and traditional video camera to detect heat in the different situation. Thermal drone inspection solves critical and emergency situations with search and rescue operation and power grid inspections. Also popularly called aerial thermography, its main purpose is thermographic mapping to identify larger-scale anomalies. High resolution camera and color display options are the key benefits of thermal inspection drones.

Nearly all unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, have drones in their basic design. UAVs are used for a range of purposes, from military missions to cargo delivery. The drones come in a variety of sizes, ranging from nano and micro sizes to the enormous ones. In other words, they can be small enough to fit on palm and as huge as an airplane.

Drones, which were created especially for the aerospace and military industries, are becoming more popular because of their higher safety standards and efficiency.

In March 2022, thermal drones were employed by firefighters battling a destructive grassland fire in Cleburne, Texas to provide situational awareness and accurate information about the fire's progression. Thermal drones are able to see through heavy, billowing smoke, guiding teams to the hotspots where they may safely respond. Such benefits of thermal drones will give the business numerous opportunities to expand.

• Short Term (2023 Q1 to 2026): The market for thermal drone inspection will benefit from the increase in demand for thermal imaging, which is often employed in a variety of end-use sectors.
• Medium Term (2026- 2029): On account of the expanding drone inspection service industry in Europe, it is projected that demand in European countries would be significant in midterm.
• Long Term (2029- 2033): The usage of these thermal inspection drones in many industries is made possible by the introduction of high-end technology like software, sensors, and others, which will open up new business options for manufacturers in the long term.

From 2018 to 2022, the global market for thermal drone inspection registered a CAGR of 9.2%. Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, reveals that the market will exhibit growth at 13.4% CAGR between 2023 and 2033.

Market share analysis of thermal drone inspection based on end use vertical and region is provided in the above image. Under the end use vertical segment, search & rescue sub-segment dominates with 31.2% market share in 2023.

What’s Driving the Growth for Thermal Drone Inspection Market Across the Globe?

“Growing Utilization of AI and VR-Based Drone to Encourage Sales of Thermal Drones Inspection”

Traditional drones had a lot of restrictions on their use and were virtually solely employed for entertainment and media purposes. Modern drone equipment includes advanced additional accessories that makes drone operation more engaging than before.

A significant market trend is the adoption of next-generation technology accessories based on AI, VR, HUD (head-up display), and software with longer lifespans. IoT has undoubtedly changed manually operated technology into newer, more sophisticated AI- and software-based digitized technology.

Instead of manual control, new AI-based drone systems frequently have automatic software-based control. Operational errors are less likely to occur with such modern equipment. Additionally, these cutting-edge items are popular not only in the business sector but also in the consumer and military sectors.

“Surging Mining Industry to Propel the Market for Thermal Drones Inspection”

Mining operations are frequently conducted in regions with dangerous topography. To keep human employees safe in these dangerous locations, drones are deployed. Workers are particularly at risk when engaged in underground mining. It's possible that the material needs to be uncovered is inaccessible.

Images captured by cameras installed on drones can be transmitted back for secure remote analysis. Additionally, drones can be fitted with a variety of cameras, including thermal and infrared ones that can capture information in greater detail than conventional cameras.

Drones can help remote drilling technology, which extracts resources using robots rather than people, reducing exposure to dangerous terrain and environmental factors. China is known to top mineral production followed by Australia and Russia. Use of thermal drones, for mining, is thus expected to be high in these countries. The thermal drone market is poised to garner an absolute dollar opportunity of US$ 748.6 million by 2033 since 2023.

What Do Thermal Drone Inspection Service Providers Need to Watch Out for?

“An Evolving Regulatory Environment May Create Stumbling Block”

The regulatory climate is now a barrier to the widespread usage of civilian drones. There is a lot of red tape, and regulations that differ from nation to nation. In France and the US, two of the most potential markets for civilian drones, regulation is still rather lax.

Users of drones must be licensed unmanned aerial vehicle pilots. Unless otherwise authorized, night flights are forbidden. The growth of the market will be hampered by such regulatory restrictions.

Country Wise Analysis

How will Germany’s Drone Industry Support the Growth of Thermal Drone Inspection Market?

Germany's success is largely attributable to the fact that it houses more drones there than any other country, with some 430,700 of them being piloted as of now. Approximately 11% of these drones are used for business purposes, which generate 87.8% of all drone sales in the nation. Higher income generation from the thermal drone sector in the country will be attributed to Germany's expanding drone industry.

Drone use is permitted in Germany, according to the National Aviation Authority of Germany. Germany must, however, abide by drone laws set forth by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) because it is a member of the EU.

Current figures show that just 10% of German drones are used for commercial purposes, and that the number of drones is likely to increase significantly in the coming years.

How the Support of Local Regulations is Aiding the Drone Market in the United States?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the USA controls drones or unmanned aerial systems and establishes national drone flight regulations. For instance, there exist laws that specify how to fly either recreational or commercial drones in the United States, where drones must have licenses for both uses.

In total, there are 62.9% recreational drones and 37.1% commercial drones registered in the United States, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). By 2023, it is estimated that the US thermal drone inspection industry would be worth US$ 71.5 million.

Drones operating in the United States must register with the FAA, and registrations are good for three years. The law also establishes the rules for who may fly drones for fun and where they may do so. All current FAA safety regulations and model flight organization safety requirements are strictly followed. This well regulated use of drones is expected expand its applications in the country over the coming years.

Category wise Insights

How Search & Rescue Industry Will Lead the Market Growth?

The advantages of drones in search & rescue are widely known, however drones with thermal cameras have the added ability to track human and animal in emergency situations. Drones with thermal imaging capabilities are effective instruments for tracking various humans. Remote detection of a human thermal signature via a thermal imaging camera provides information that drone operators would not otherwise have access to.

By detecting the temperature of human body, UAVs may also monitor other activities and gather critical data like weight and height. The emergency service provider can quickly verify the security and security preparations for the emergency at any time with the help thermal drones.

Will Commercial Use of Thermal Drone Increase the Demand for Thermal Drone Inspection Market?

The thermal drone inspection will be widely used for commercial industry for instance agriculture, industrial, search & rescue operations. The primary purpose of thermal drone is to detect heat in different situations to find anomalies. Using drones for commercial purposes can be a massive growth concept with lots of advantages, depending on the industry. As technology has progressed, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are becoming more widely available at more reasonably priced.

Given their involvement in several commercial initiatives, engineering firms can benefit from using drones. They can make use of it for intricate tasks like transmission wire inspections, oil pipeline inspections, and maintenance checks. In places impacted by fire, floods, or other natural calamities, drones are successfully utilized to locate individuals. Therefore, the commercial usage of thermal drone inspection will witness positive growth outlook.

Competitive Landscape

Fact.MR profiled the following top companies in thermal drone inspection market in its report: Hysurv, Drone Safe, Rising View, Vertex Access, Region One Survey, GeoWGS84 Corp., Adevexure, Exertherm, Workswell, Drone Works, DJM, Bristol Drone Services, The Drone Life, Elistair, Dronegenuity.

Over the years, delays in regulatory approval in many countries have forced several industry players whose business models depend entirely on the approval of thermal drones to cease operations.

However, with countries now granting the necessary regulatory approvals to operate drones, companies may find it easier to enter and compete in the market. Market participants are focusing on their resources and investing capital on research and development. Moreover, they are trying to expand their footprint in the region.

Fact.MR has provided detailed information about the price points of key manufacturers of thermal drone positioned across regions, sales growth, production capacity, and speculative technological expansion, in the recently published report.

Segmentation of Thermal Drone Inspection Industry Research

• By Product Type :

  • Rotary Wing
  • Fixed Wing
  • Hybrid

• By Drone Type :

  • Consumer/ Civil
  • Commercial
  • Military

• By End-Use Vertical :

  • Firefighting
  • Search & Rescue
  • Defense
  • Disaster Management
  • Industrial
  • Others

• By Region :

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • East Asia
  • South Asia and Oceania
  • Middle East & Africa