Revenue of the global drone market 2018-2029

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are remote-controlled flying vehicles that were originally developed for military applications and later expanded to civilian use in commercial, logistic, recreational, and agricultural areas, among others. Consumer drones, the first variety developed for non-military use, were initially only of interest to model aircraft enthusiasts. Nowadays, however, they are also used by tech fans, sports fans, adventurers, professional photographers, and videographers – thanks to the adoption of various innovative technologies, such as flight technology, mobile technology, video technology, as well as advanced software and ecosystems, in the course of the past decades. After years of development, the range of consumer drone models is almost limitless now: tricopters, quadcopters, hexacopters, or octocopters, with 3, 4, 6, or 8 rotors, respectively. And the price varies according to the features of the device, such as its size, sensing systems, onboard cameras, batteries, and flight modes – ranging from under US$100 for a lightweight hobbyist drone to over US$1,000 for a prosumer drone with a 4K camera, an obstacle sensing system, a flight range of up to 5 kilometers, and 30 minutes of flight time. But the overall average price shows a falling trend due to lower production costs and material prices. The market data presented here is mainly based on an analysis of the financial filings of the leading companies as well as on data published by governmental and other associations such as the FAA (United States Federal Aviation Administration) and the BDL (Bundesverband der Deutschen Luftverkehrswirtschaft). Drones over 5 kilograms, military drones, commercial drones, industrial drones, toys such as radio-controlled two-wing aircraft and helicopters, as well as drone accessories are not included in this segment.

All figures are estimates. A detailed methodology can be found in the Statista Market Outlook.