Thermal Drone Market

Thermal Drone Market Outlook (2023-2033)

The thermal drone market is estimated to reach valuation of US$ 2,790.0 million in 2023 and will top US$ 9,554.9 million by 2033, growing with a CAGR of around 13.1% from 2023-2033.

In 2023, the global drone market is estimated to be valued around US$ 33.9 billion, while the drone market is projected to grow at 17.6% CAGR. Thermal drone is leading in terms technological advancement and revenue generation, wherein sales of thermal drone accounted for nearly 8% share of the global drone market at the end of 2022.

Report Attributes	Details
Thermal Drone Market Size (2022A)	US$ 2,424.5 Million
Estimated Market Value (2023E)	US$ 2,790.0 Million
Forecast Market Value (2033F)	US$ 9,554.9 Million
Global Market Growth Rate (2023-2033)	13.1% CAGR
North America Market Share (2023)	30.1%
North America Market Value (2023)	US$ 840.1 million
Europe Market Share (2023)	31.4%
Europe Market Value (2023)	US$ 876.1 million
China Market Share (2023)	12.2%
China Market Value (2023)	US$ 339.8 million
Market Share of Top 3 Countries	41.4%
Key Companies Profiled	Aeromao Inc Clickmox Solutions Inc ComNav Technology Ltd Delta Drone DJI Dronefly DSLRPros Edall Systems Flytron Globe UAV GmbH ideaForge Pvt Ltd MikroKopter Parrot Drone SAS RCHOBBYTECH SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED Shenzhen Keweitai Enterprise Development CO LTD

Sales Analysis of Thermal Drone (2018-2021) Vs Market Outlook (2023-2033)

Drones are typically part of nearly every unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as (UAVs), such devices serve a variety of roles, from military operations to cargo delivery. The drones have variety of range in size including micro, Nano and other huge drones. That is their size can differ from airplane to palm-sized drones.

Designed specifically for the military and aerospace industries, drones are gaining public attention due to their improved safety standards and effectiveness. These robotic unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operate independently without a pilot on board.

A drone with a thermal imaging camera is called a thermal drone, which is currently used in various situations to measure heat loss, locate heat sources, etc. This is called aerial thermography and its main purpose is to find out where something is not working properly.

On 20 March 2022, firefighters responding to a devastating grassland fire in Cleburne, Texas used thermal drones to give a piece of apt information about the growing fire and provides situational awareness. Thermal drones can see through billowing thick smoke and enable to guide teams to safely reach and respond to the hotspots. Such advantages of thermal drones will provide a plethora opportunity to companies to manufacture thermal drones.

• Short Term (2023 Q1 to 2026): The thermal drone market will be positively impacted due to the rising demand for thermal imaging which are generally used in various end use industries.
• Medium Term (2026- 2029): European countries are anticipated to witness high demand on the back of the growing drone industry in Europe.
• Long Term (2029- 2033): Introducing high end technologies such as software’s, sensors and others are enabling the use of these thermal drones in various industries which will discover new opportunities for manufacturers.

From 2018 to 2022, the global market for thermal drone registered a CAGR of 12.3%. Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, reveals that the market will exhibit growth at 13.1% CAGR between 2023 and 2033.

Market share analysis of thermal drone based on end use vertical and region is provided in the above image. Under the end use vertical segment, military and government sub-segment dominates with 28.8% market share in 2023.

What’s Driving High Demand Growth for Thermal Drone across Regions?

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

Traditional drones were almost exclusively used for recreational and media applications, with lots of constraints on their usage. Advanced drone equipment comes with extra accessories and makes the operation of drones livelier than before.

The adoption of next-generation technological accessories based on AI, VR, HUD (head-up display), and software’s with increased lifespans are becoming a strong trend in the market. Internet of Things (IoT) has certainly transformed manually operated technology into new and more advanced AI-based and software-based digitized technology.

New AI-based drone systems often come with automatic software-based control rather than manual control. Such new equipment has a lower risk of operational errors. Moreover, these new-generation products are trending not only in the commercial industry but also in the consumer and military industries.

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

Mining operations are often carried out in areas with hazardous terrain. Drones are used in these hazardous areas to prevent human workers from being harmed. Underground mining, in particular, is fraught with great danger to workers. The material to be unearthed may be located in locations that are difficult to access.

Drone-mounted cameras can feed back images that can be safely analyzed from a distance. Drones can also be equipped with various cameras, such as thermal cameras and infrared cameras that can provide more detailed data than traditional cameras.

Drones can facilitate remote drilling technology that uses robots instead of humans to extract materials, avoiding exposure to hazardous terrain and conditions. According to certain reports, China tops mineral production followed by Australia and Russia. The thermal drone market is poised to garner an absolute dollar opportunity of US$ 7,130.4 million during the forecast period.

What Do Thermal Drone Manufacturers Need to Watch Out for?

“An Evolving Regulatory Environment May Create Stumbling Block”

Current obstacles to the widespread use of civilian drones is the regulatory environment. There is a lot of bureaucracy and rules vary from country to country. Regulation is still fairly limited in France and the US, two of the most promising markets for civilian drones.

Drone users must possess an unmanned aerial vehicle pilot license. Night flights are prohibited unless specifically permitted. Such regulatory limitations will be an obstacle to market growth.

Country Wise Analysis

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

According to Germany's National Aviation Authority, it is legal to fly drones in Germany. However, as a member of the European Union, Germany must comply with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) drone regulations.

According to current statistics, about 90% of German drones are for personal use, only 10% are for commercial use, and the number of drones is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Germany is poised to grow at a healthy CAGR of 11.4% during forecast period.

Germany's success is largely due to the country having a majority of drones in the air, with approximately 430,700 drones that are driven by pilots. About 11% of these drones are commercial drones, which account for 87.8% of the country's total drone revenue. The rising drone industry in Germany will account for higher revenue generation from the thermal drone sector.

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

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates drones or unmanned aerial systems and establishes general rules for flying drones in the country. For example, in the United States, drones are licensed for recreational and commercial use, and there are regulations to detail the flying of recreational or professional drones.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the total number of drones registered in the United States includes 37.1% of commercial drones and the remaining 62.9% are recreational drones. United States thermal drone market is anticipated to obtain a valuation of US$ 734.2 million by 2023.

In U.S., drones must be registered with the FAA, and registrations are valid for three years. The law also governs how, when and where people can fly drones for recreational purposes. It is mandatory to follow all the existing FAA safety and model flight organization safety guidelines.

Category wise Insights

How Agriculture Industry Will Lead to Market Growth?

The benefits of drones in agriculture are well documented, but in addition to monitoring crops and crop health, drones equipped with thermal cameras can also track livestock. In flight, drones with thermal imaging capabilities are powerful tools for monitoring different types of wildlife.

A thermal imaging camera remotely detects an animal's thermal signature, providing data that drone pilots could not otherwise gather. Sheep and cattle spend long periods outdoors in open fields and pastures. Flock and flock location monitoring requires a lot of time and resources.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tracking and monitoring of livestock enable a wide range of activities that includes planning grazing distribution, assessing and responding to livestock behavior, and others.

Animal health monitoring is another advantage of this technology. Additionally, drones can detect certain health problems, potentially enabling preventive treatment before the disease spreads.

UAVs can also measure important information such as weight, height, and monitor other activities by sensing the temperature of other insects that start growing on the crops. Drones allow farmers to easily check the safety of their herds any time. Drone operators can quickly check on animals to determine if they are missing or injured, and monitor pregnant animals. Agriculture thermal drone will capture a market share of 7.6% in 2023.

Will Online Sales Drive Thermal Drone Market?

The ability to establish an online presence and sell products using e-commerce platforms is becoming more common. Popular brands have already started to have a presence on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, DroneFly, and others. Sales of thermal drones are booming across all distribution channels due to their popularity. Sales through third party online channel that is the e-commerce channel will account for a market share of 35.8% in 2023.

The e-commerce industry is gaining momentum these days. It provides a versatile platform for comparing different products from different manufacturers. According to China’s ecommerce industry data source, online retail sales were US$ 1,233.6 million in 2019 and US$ 1,414.3 million in 2020. Similarly, Canadian online retail sales created the valuation of US$ 28.1 million in 2020.

Competitive Landscape

Fact.MR profiled the following top companies in thermal drone market in its report Parrot Drone SAS, DSLRPros, Aeromao Inc, Clickmox Solutions Inc, ComNav Technology Ltd, Delta Drone, DJI, Dronefly, Edall Systems, Flytron, Globe UAV GmbH, ideaForge Pvt Ltd, MikroKopter, RCHOBBYTECH SOLUTIONS PRIVATE LIMITED and Shenzhen Keweitai Enterprise Development CO LTD

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.

• DJI, in 2020 introduced the drones having the thermal camera Matrice 300 RTK and the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual. These drones can be used for thermal imaging purposes.

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 Industry Research

• By Drone Type :

  • Consumer / Civil
  • Commercial
  • Military

• By Wavelength :

  • Short (Up to 2 microns)
  • Medium (2-5 microns)
  • Long (Above 5 microns)

• By Sales Channel :

  • Online Sales
    • Direct to customer
    • Third Party Online
  • Offline Sales
    • Modern Trade Channels
    • Electronic Stores
      • Franchised Store
      • Independent Stores
    • Others

• By End-Use Vertical :

  • Agriculture
  • Military and Government
  • Energy
  • Public Safety and Insurance
  • Mining
  • Healthcare
  • Oil and Gas
  • Logistics
  • Recreational

• By Region :

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