Abstract
Summary
The combat drone market is projected to grow from USD 7.2 billion in 2023 to USD 10.8 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 8.6% from 2023 to 2028. Increasing demand for unmanned systems in the defense sector has led to the growth of the combat drone market across the globe. The growing use of various disruptive technologies in modern warfare has led to increased demand for strategic and special-purpose drones in military applications. Several countries worldwide are undertaking R&D programs to explore and augment the applications of combat drones. Moreover, Combat drones exhibit extreme efficiency and potential during low-altitude flights. They are increasingly being utilized in military applications to perform various tasks in hostile territories. They are used during conflicts as well as in peacetimes to mitigate the risks to the lives of pilots and to enhance the aeronautical capabilities of defense forces. Combat drones are widely accepted by the defense sector worldwide, owing to their limited operational costs in comparison to manned aircraft and the benefits offered by them.
The increasing budgetary constraints, coupled with a decline in the recruitment of defense personnel and equipment by the US and European countries, have led to the requirement for developing cost-effective defense equipment to carry out several military missions. Continuously changing modern warfare techniques require conducting critical missions in populated areas using combat drones. Moreover, the availability of advanced navigation as well as satellite communication technologies has led to highly viable remote operations being conducted by these drones. Combat drones can reduce collateral damage while hovering, searching, and identifying targets, which makes them an invaluable asset to the military sector. Besides, companies operating in the combat drone market are focusing on improving the technological capabilities of these drones.
Based on the platform, the strategic segment is to grow at a higher market share during the forecast period.
Based on the platform, the combat drone market has been classified into small, tactical, and strategic drones. The strategic drone segment is to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The strategic segment held the majority share of the market in 2022 and is estimated to hold its dominance during the forecast period owing to the high price of HALE and MALE drone platforms.
Based on application, the lethal segment is to grow at the highest market share during the forecast period.
Based on the application segment, the combat drone market has been classified into lethal, stealth, loitering munition, and target drone. The loitering segment is to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Lethal drones or lethal autonomous weapons are autonomous military systems that can individually search for targets and destroy them based on programmed limitations and descriptions. A loitering munition drone can be described as an advanced, autonomous drone equipped with explosive payloads designed to loiter or hover over a designated area for an extended period. The loitering munition segment is further sub-segmented into recoverable and expendables.
“North America is expected to hold the highest market share.”
North America is projected to lead the combat drone market in 2023. The US is the largest market for combat drone market in North America. North America is a politically stable region owing to the stable governments of countries in the region. The US and Canada have good business relations and are home to some key players operating in the combat drone market. North America has been at the forefront of the technological revolution taking place globally. Canada and the US are pioneers in science and technology. Drones have been used for a long time in defense and commercial sectors worldwide. Since the beginning, the region has been a leader in technological advancements. Though North America faced competition from some other developed and developing regions, it continues to retain its supremacy in the technological field.
The break-up of the profile of primary participants in the Combat Drone market:
• By Company Type: Tier 1 – 32%, Tier 2 – 40%, and Tier 3 – 28%
• By Designation: C Level – 35%, Director Level – 25%, and Others – 40%
• By Region: North America – 40%, Europe – 21%, Asia Pacific – 29%, Middle East & Africa –5%, Latin America–5%
The major players in the Combat Drone market mainly resorted to contracts to drive their growth. They also entered new markets by launching technologically advanced and cost-effective products. Northrop Grumman (US), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (US), Raytheon Technologies (US), Israel Aerospace Industries Inc. (Israel), and Airbus (Netherlands) are some of the leading players in the market. An increase in the demand for advanced Public Safety Drone products and the growth of emerging markets have encouraged companies to enter new regions.
Research Coverage:
This market study covers the combat drone market across various segments and subsegments. It aims at estimating the size and growth potential of this market across different segments based on platform, application, type, launching mode, and region. This study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the market, along with their company profiles, key observations related to their product and business offerings, recent developments undertaken by them, and key market strategies adopted by them.
Reasons to buy this report:
The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall Combat Drone market and the subsegments. This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses better and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.
The report provides insights on the following pointers:
• Analysis of key drivers and there are several factors that could contribute to an increase in the Combat Drone market.
• Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on Combat Drone systems offered by the top players in the market
• Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product & service launches in the Combat Drone market
• Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets – the report analyzes the Combat Drone market across varied regions
• Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products & services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Combat Drone market
• Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, and service offerings of leading players in the Combat Drone market.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION 29
1.1 STUDY OBJECTIVES 29
1.2 MARKET DEFINITION 29
1.2.1 INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS 29
1.2.2 MARKETS COVERED 30
1.2.3 REGIONAL SCOPE 30
1.2.4 YEARS CONSIDERED 31
1.3 CURRENCY CONSIDERED 31
1.4 LIMITATIONS 32
1.5 STAKEHOLDERS 32
2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 33
2.1 RESEARCH DATA 33
2.1.1 SECONDARY DATA 34
- 2.1.1.1 Key data from secondary sources 35
2.1.2 PRIMARY DATA 35
- 2.1.2.1 Key data from primary sources 36
- 2.1.2.2 Key primary sources 36
2.2 FACTOR ANALYSIS 37
2.2.1 INTRODUCTION 37
2.2.2 DEMAND-SIDE INDICATORS 37
2.2.3 SUPPLY-SIDE INDICATORS 37
2.2.4 RECESSION IMPACT ANALYSIS 37
2.3 RESEARCH APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 38
2.3.1 BOTTOM-UP APPROACH 38
- 2.3.1.1 Market size estimation and methodology 38
- 2.3.1.2 Regional split of combat drone market 39
2.3.2 TOP-DOWN APPROACH 39
2.4 TRIANGULATION AND VALIDATION 40
2.5 RESEARCH ASSUMPTIONS 41
2.5.1 ASSUMPTIONS FOR MARKET SIZING AND FORECAST 41
2.6 RISKS 41
3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 42
4 PREMIUM INSIGHTS 45
4.1 ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN COMBAT DRONE MARKET 45
4.2 COMBAT DRONE MARKET GROWTH, BY TYPE 45
4.3 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, BY APPLICATION 46
4.4 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, BY REGION 46
5 MARKET OVERVIEW 47
5.1 INTRODUCTION 47
5.2 MARKET DYNAMICS 48
5.2.1 DRIVERS 48
- 5.2.1.1 Growing adoption of combat drones 48
- 5.2.1.2 Deployment of combat drones 49
- 5.2.1.3 Surge in intensified military training 49
- 5.2.1.4 Cost-effectiveness in terms of operation and maintenance 50
- 5.2.1.5 Counter-terrorism and homeland security applications 51
- 5.2.1.6 Decreasing prices of components 51
5.2.2 RESTRAINTS 52
- 5.2.2.1 Limited trained personnel 52
- 5.2.2.2 Limited bandwidth, payload capacity, and autonomy 52
5.2.3 OPPORTUNITIES 53
- 5.2.3.1 Advancements in AI and autonomy 53
- 5.2.3.2 Increased international cooperation 53
- 5.2.3.3 Technological advancements in drone payloads 53
- 5.2.3.4 Full-scale conversion for war scenario simulation 54
5.2.4 CHALLENGES 54
- 5.2.4.1 Safety and security of UAVs 54
- 5.2.4.2 Electronic jamming to limit communication and control 54
5.3 COMBAT DRONE MARKET ECOSYSTEM 55
5.3.1 PROMINENT COMPANIES 55
5.3.2 PRIVATE AND SMALL ENTERPRISES 55
5.3.3 STARTUPS 55
5.3.4 END USERS 55
5.4 TRENDS/DISRUPTIONS IMPACTING CUSTOMER BUSINESS 57
5.4.1 REVENUE SHIFT AND NEW REVENUE POCKETS FOR COMBAT DRONE MARKET 57
5.5 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF COMBAT DRONE MARKET 58
5.6 PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS 59
5.6.1 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS 60
5.6.2 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES 61
5.6.3 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS 61
5.6.4 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS 61
5.6.5 INTENSITY OF COMPETITIVE RIVALRY 61
5.7 KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND BUYING CRITERIA 62
5.7.1 KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN BUYING PROCESS 62
5.7.2 BUYING CRITERIA 63
5.8 TRADE DATA ANALYSIS 63
5.9 TARIFF AND REGULATORY LANDSCAPE 65
5.9.1 REGULATORY BODIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 65
5.10 OPERATIONAL DATA 66
5.11 PRICING ANALYSIS 67
5.11.1 AVERAGE SELLING PRICE OF KEY PLAYERS, BY APPLICATION 67
5.12 KEY CONFERENCES AND EVENTS IN 2023-2024 68
6 INDUSTRY TRENDS 70
6.1 INTRODUCTION 70
6.2 TECHNOLOGY TRENDS 70
6.2.1 DRONE SWARMS 70
6.2.2 STEALTH AND LOW OBSERVABLE TECHNOLOGIES 70
6.2.3 ELECTRONIC WARFARE USING COMBAT DRONES 71
6.2.4 SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADARS 71
6.2.5 SIGINT BY DRONES 72
6.2.6 MANNED-UNMANNED TEAMING (MUM-T) 72
6.2.7 ENDURANCE 72
6.2.8 HYPERSONIC ARMED DRONES 73
6.3 TECHNOLOGY ANALYSIS 73
6.3.1 AI IN COMBAT DRONES 73
6.3.2 MID-AIR REFUELING OF DRONES 75
6.3.3 SPY DRONES 75
6.3.4 UNMANNED COMBAT AERIAL VEHICLES 75
6.3.5 ANTI-UAV DEFENSE SYSTEMS 76
6.3.6 DIPOLE DRIVE FOR COMBAT DRONES 77
6.4 USE CASES 77
6.4.1 PERSISTENT SURVEILLANCE AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING IN HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS 77
6.4.2 BATTLEFIELD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND POST-STRIKE ANALYSIS 77
6.5 IMPACT OF MEGATRENDS 78
6.6 MATURITY MAPPING OF DRONE TECHNOLOGIES 79
6.7 INNOVATION AND PATENT REGISTRATIONS 79
6.8 COMBAT DRONE MARKET ROADMAP 82
7 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, BY PLATFORM 83
7.1 INTRODUCTION 84
7.2 SMALL DRONES 85
7.2.1 INCREASED DEMAND FOR SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE TO DRIVE MARKET 85
7.2.2 NANO 85
7.2.3 MICRO 85
7.2.4 MINI 85
7.3 TACTICAL 86
7.3.1 OPTIMIZED EFFICIENCY AND SECURITY TO BOOST MARKET 86
7.3.2 CLOSE RANGE 86
7.3.3 SHORT RANGE 86
7.3.4 MEDIUM RANGE ENDURANCE 86
7.3.5 LONG RANGE ENDURANCE 87
7.4 STRATEGIC 87
7.4.1 HIGH PAYLOAD CARRYING CAPACITY TO FUEL MARKET 87
7.4.2 HALE 87
7.4.3 MALE 88
8 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, BY APPLICATION 89
8.1 INTRODUCTION 90
8.2 LETHAL DRONES 91
8.2.1 EMERGENCE AS GENUINE COMBAT FORCE MULTIPLIERS TO DRIVE MARKET 91
8.3 STEALTH DRONES 92
8.3.1 NEED FOR PRECISE AND SURGICAL WARFARE APPROACH TO DRIVE DEMAND 92
8.4 LOITERING MUNITION 92
8.4.1 COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND AUTONOMOUS OPERATION TO DRIVE MARKET 92
8.4.2 RECOVERABLES 93
8.4.3 EXPENDABLES 93
8.5 TARGET 93
8.5.1 MULTI-SPECTRUM OPERATION FOR UNDETECTED OPERATIONS TO BOOST MARKET 93
9 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, BY TYPE 94
9.1 INTRODUCTION 95
9.2 FIXED-WING 96
9.2.1 DEMAND FOR LONG RANGE AND HIGH-SPEED COMBAT DRONES TO BOOST MARKET 96
9.3 ROTARY-WING 96
9.3.1 HIGH-PERFORMANCE FOR TACTICAL COMBAT TO DRIVE MARKET 96
9.4 HYBRID 96
9.4.1 USE IN LONG-DURATION OPERATIONS AT HIGH SPEEDS TO DRIVE MARKET 96
10 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, BY LAUNCHING MODE 97
10.1 INTRODUCTION 98
10.2 AIR-LAUNCHED EFFECT 99
10.2.1 LOW COST AND GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO DRIVE MARKET 99
10.3 VERTICAL TAKE-OFF 99
10.3.1 GROWING USE OF ROTARY-WING DRONES TO DRIVE MARKET 99
10.4 AUTOMATIC TAKE-OFF AND LANDING 99
10.4.1 INCREASING DEMAND FOR HALE AND MALE TO FUEL MARKET 99
10.5 CATAPULT LAUNCHERS 100
10.5.1 ENHANCED COMBAT DRONE DEPLOYMENT FOR TACTICAL SUPERIORITY TO DRIVE MARKET 100
10.6 HAND LAUNCHERS 100
10.6.1 GROWING USE OF MINI AND NANO DRONES TO BOOST MARKET 100
11 REGIONAL ANALYSIS 101
11.1 INTRODUCTION 102
11.2 NORTH AMERICA 104
11.2.1 NORTH AMERICA: PESTLE ANALYSIS 104
11.2.2 US 108
- 11.2.2.1 High investment and constant innovation to drive market 108
11.2.3 CANADA 109
- 11.2.3.1 Developments in UAV space to fuel market 109
11.3 EUROPE 111
11.3.1 EUROPE: PESTLE ANALYSIS 111
11.3.2 RUSSIA 114
- 11.3.2.1 Surge in procurement of modern combat drones to drive market 114
11.3.3 FRANCE 116
- 11.3.3.1 Government initiatives to fuel market 116
11.3.4 UK 117
- 11.3.4.1 Technological developments to boost market 117
11.3.5 GERMANY 119
- 11.3.5.1 Rising demand from armed forces to drive growth 119
11.3.6 UKRAINE 120
- 11.3.6.1 Technological developments to drive market 120
11.3.7 ITALY 121
- 11.3.7.1 Procurement of advanced components for technologically advanced drones to fuel market 121
11.3.8 SWEDEN 122
- 11.3.8.1 Increased interest in development of drones and associated solutions to drive growth 122
11.3.9 REST OF EUROPE 124
- 11.3.9.1 Surge in border dispute to drive market growth 124
11.4 ASIA PACIFIC 125
11.4.1 ASIA PACIFIC: PESTLE ANALYSIS 126
11.4.2 CHINA 129
- 11.4.2.1 Focus on development of advanced weaponry to boost market 129
11.4.3 INDIA 131
- 11.4.3.1 Rising procurement of combat drones to drive market 131
11.4.4 JAPAN 132
- 11.4.4.1 Development of UAVs based on modern technologies to boost market 132
11.4.5 AUSTRALIA 134
- 11.4.5.1 High investment in development of military drones to fuel market 134
11.4.6 SOUTH KOREA 135
- 11.4.6.1 Increased defense spending to drive market 135
11.4.7 REST OF ASIA PACIFIC 136
- 11.4.7.1 Rising usage of UAVs for defense operations to drive market 136
11.5 MIDDLE EAST 138
11.5.1 MIDDLE EAST: PESTLE ANALYSIS 138
11.5.2 ISRAEL 142
- 11.5.2.1 Presence of leading combat drone manufacturers to drive market growth 142
11.5.3 TURKEY 144
- 11.5.3.1 Growing deployment of UAVs and their subsystems to fuel market 144
11.5.4 SAUDI ARABIA 145
- 11.5.4.1 Increased adoption of UAVs in military applications to boost market 145
11.5.5 UAE 147
- 11.5.5.1 Increased procurement of drones to drive market 147
11.5.6 REST OF MIDDLE EAST 148
- 11.5.6.1 Increased focus on developing combat drones to drive market 148
11.6 LATIN AMERICA 150
11.6.1 LATIN AMERICA: PESTLE ANALYSIS 150
11.6.2 BRAZIL 153
- 11.6.2.1 Safety and security missions to gather advanced intelligence to drive market 153
11.6.3 MEXICO 155
- 11.6.3.1 Development of drones to monitor and curb illegal activities to fuel market 155
11.7 AFRICA 156
11.7.1 AFRICA: PESTLE ANALYSIS 156
12 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE 159
12.1 INTRODUCTION 159
12.2 KEY PLAYERS IN COMBAT DRONE MARKET 159
12.3 RANKING ANALYSIS OF KEY PLAYERS, 2022 160
12.4 REVENUE ANALYSIS, 2022 161
12.5 MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS, 2022 161
12.6 COMPANY EVALUATION MATRIX 164
12.6.1 STARS 164
12.6.2 EMERGING LEADERS 164
12.6.3 PERVASIVE COMPANIES 164
12.6.4 PARTICIPANTS 164
12.7 COMBAT DRONE MARKET, COMPANY LEADERSHIP MAPPING (STARTUPS) 166
12.7.1 PROGRESSIVE COMPANIES 166
12.7.2 RESPONSIVE COMPANIES 166
12.7.3 DYNAMIC COMPANIES 166
12.7.4 STARTING BLOCKS 166
12.7.5 COMPETITIVE BENCHMARKING 168
12.8 COMPETITIVE SCENARIO 169
12.9 COMPETITIVE SCENARIO 170
12.9.1 MARKET EVALUATION FRAMEWORK 170
12.9.2 PRODUCT LAUNCHES 170
12.9.3 DEALS 172
12.9.4 OTHERS 177
13 COMPANY PROFILES 179
13.1 INTRODUCTION 179
13.2 KEY PLAYERS 180
13.2.1 NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION 180
13.2.2 RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION 184
13.2.3 ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD 187
13.2.4 GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS 191
13.2.5 AEROVIRONMENT, INC 194
13.2.6 THE BOEING COMPANY 197
13.2.7 AIRBUS 200
13.2.8 ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD 203
13.2.9 LEONARDO SPA 206
13.2.10 QINTEIQ GROUP PLC 209
13.2.11 KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC 211
13.2.12 LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION 215
13.2.13 GRIFFON AEROSPACE 218
13.2.14 SCR (SISTEMAS DE CONTROL REMOTO) 220
13.2.15 TURKISH AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES INC 222
13.3 OTHER PLAYERS 223
13.3.1 DYNETICS, INC 223
13.3.2 ROBOTICAN LTD 224
13.3.3 VOLANSI, INC 224
13.3.4 AEROTARGETS INTERNATIONAL, LLC 225
13.3.5 PLATFORM AEROSPACE 225
13.3.6 SHIELD AI 226
13.3.7 INSTANTEYE ROBOTICS 226
13.3.8 ATHLON AVIA 227
13.3.9 SILVERTONE UAV 227
13.3.10 BLUEBIRD AERO SYSTEMS LTD 228
14 APPENDIX 229
14.1 DISCUSSION GUIDE 229
14.2 MARKET DYNAMICS 229
14.3 KNOWLEDGESTORE: MARKETSANDMARKETS’ SUBSCRIPTION PORTAL 232
14.4 CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS 234
14.5 RELATED REPORTS 234
14.6 AUTHOR DETAILS 235