The use of unmanned aerial vehicles is getting more popular each year, which led to the creation of a big industry of drones and drone parts manufacturing. This huge industry is growing faster every year due to the significant amount of demand from various parties in sectors like agriculture, logistics, security and law enforcement, inspections, and so on. The new technologies and drone softwares that emerged in the last years are driven by competition between drone manufacturers. Consequently, customers from different sectors and industries showed their interest in these new innovations and solutions to simplify their daily tasks, making the drone industry grow rapidly every year because of this high demand. By integrating drones into industries, this will create many opportunities for market growth.

The drone market in the US was valued at $1.48 billion (Around €1.34 billion) in 2023, with expectations to grow by a 10% rate from 2024 until 2030. 30% of the global drone market is dominated by the US, which shows the country´s growing need for aerial solutions in different sectors.  

Different insights:

Drones with rotary blades conquered the highest market share with 78% in 2022. The high demand for these types of drones is rapidly growing due to their efficiency in inspection operations thanks to their agility and ability to fly in small spaces for longer periods. Additionally, rotary blade drones are easier to control and are able to take-off and land vertically.  

Hybrid drones were expected to have a rising compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%  that has started from 2023 until 2030. These hybrid drones contain fixed-wings and rotary blades, allowing them to be efficient for long flights with heavier paylaods in difficult weathers. Hybrid drones are heavily used for rescue and supplying operations in many industries.

Concerning range insights, the Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) section claims the largest share in the drone market with over 69%. This section´s growth is linked to commercial operations where users are able to see obstacles and ensure flying safely.

On the other hand, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) section claims the spot for the expanding segment in the global drone market. This segment is growing faster every year due to the high demand for drones that have the capability of operating in long range areas, securing users and providing a wide range of modern communication systems.

Application Areas:

The largest market share went to the commercial drones segment with around 75% in 2022, and is constantly growing. This growth is justified by the increased use of commercial drones in inspection, surveillance & monitoring, mapping & surveying, precision agriculture, and filming & photography.  

Drones equipped with infrared sensors and cameras are heavily used in surveillance & monitoring due to their efficient monitoring. This helps police department, the military, and other surveillance parties maintain and secure areas against any potential threats.

Government and law enforcement segment is expected to grow the fastest from 2023 until 2030. Its growth is linked to the use of drones in several applications such as border patrol, search & rescue, maritime security, police operations, and many other similar applications.

Key manufacturers and companies:  

Companies and manufacturers that dominate the market drone use different strategies to keep the technology and innovations up to date. In addition, the changing needs from customers leads these companies to constantly improve their products to remain on top of the market. Some of the top companies in the US include AeroVironment, Skydio, Intel Corporation, DJI, Parrot, Horizon Hobby, SkyTech Drone, and more.

Conclusion and what to expect in the future:

The US consumer drone market will expand and grow year by year because of the technological advancement and increased customer interest. Competition between giant companies and manufacturers is giving birth to new cutting-edge technologies everyday, which significantly leads to drone market expansion.  

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