Global Inspection Drones Market Size, Forecast, and Trend Highlights Over 2025-2037
Inspection Drones Market size was over USD 5.96 billion in 2024 and is set to USD 93.65 billion by the end of 2037, witnessing more than 23.6% CAGR during the forecast period i.e., between 2025-2037. In the year 2025, the industry size of inspection drones is evaluated at USD 7.09 billion.
The market's growth can be ascribed to the rising focus on human safety. For instance, government expenditures in the European Union on social protection stood at USD 3098 billion in 2022. Similar spending has been made across the world to amalgamate DFR-EU technology to revolutionize public safety. Global public safety agencies are enhancing safety and speed in emergency responses.
Additionally, drone technology is widely used in energy generation from the wind turbines. Report published by the International Energy Agency in February 2025 stated that wind is projected to become the 2nd largest source of renewable energy in the coming years. However, blade and wind turbine inspection are the most challenging facets in this sector. The infrared cameras installed in the drones conduct maintenance and operational assessment. The use of eradicates safety issues and risk related to the inspection.
Inspection Drones Sector: Growth Drivers and Challenges
Growth Drivers
- Surge in use of drones in agricultural purposes: Inspection with drones amplifies the crop management by providing real-time insights of plant health and growth. Drone inspection renders opportunities to streamline agrarian tasks such as smart crop scouting, irrigation monitoring, application of pesticide, etc. Farmers are adopting smart farming techniques on a wide level, leading to increased adoption of inspection drones. Esteemed organizations such as the World Bank are aligning their operations with the goals in the Paris Agreement. For instance, in February 2024, the World Bank infused USD 125 million in Agriculture Resilience, Value Chain Development and Innovation in Jordan’s agrifood sector, supporting 30,000 farming households in adopting climate smart technologies such as inspection drones.
- Increasing use of inspection drones in the army: Inspection drones play a pivotal role in strengthening army operations such as surveillance, target acquisition, intelligence, and reconnaissance. Governments are investing to garner state-of-the-art drones to perform various functions. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Defense in December 2023, General Atomics awarded a USD 389 million contract to deliver the General Atomics MQ-1C Eagle, which is a long endurance and medium altitude aircraft drone. Even in other countries, drones are included in the army at exponential rate.
- Inspection drones in wildlife monitoring: By deploying drones, wildlife conservationists can effectively cover large areas, monitor elusive species, and access tough terrains. These inspection drones also render a bird's eye view to track illegal activities and forest fires. These drones also incorporate a combination of hyperspectral and thermal sensors able to accumulate data on tree health, soil conditions, and forest composition. For instance, the National Interagency Fire Center used unmanned aerial vehicles and found out that so far in 2025, 8005 forest fires burned 168,476 acres across the U.S. These factors are propelling the growth of the inspection drones market during 2024-2037.
Challenges
- Risk of interference and collision: The possibility of colliding with other aircraft, buildings, or obstacles raises safety issues. It is critical to ensure the safety of drones as well as the security of people on the ground. Also, the nature of the device is disruptive, leading to privacy intrusion.
- Lack of skilled users and training: The drones market is still in a nascent stage, and there is a lack of a skilled workforce. Experienced drone pilots are required for the efficient operation of drones.
Inspection Drones Market: Key Insights
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Base Year |
2024 |
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Forecast Year |
2025-2037 |
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CAGR |
23.6% |
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Base Year Market Size (2024) |
USD 5.96 billion |
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Forecast Year Market Size (2037) |
USD 93.65 billion |
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Regional Scope |
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Inspection Drones Segmentation
Type (Multirotor Drone, Fixed Wing Drone, Hybrid Drone)
The multirotor drone segment is estimated to hold 38% share of the global inspection drones market by 2037. The growth of the segment can be attributed to the flexibility of multirotor drones. Various market players are launching ultra-modern multirotor drones for various purposes. For instance, in December 2024, CHCNav launched X500, which is a professional multirotor drone with a 5 kg payload capacity and renders a flight endurance of 58 minutes. The multirotor design of the drone allows maneuverability and stability. Also, they are ideal for new user due to their assisted flight technology.
End User (Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Construction, Utilities, Solar Panel & Windmill, Defense & Security)
The oil & gas segment in the inspection drones market is expected to garner a significant share of around 30%. Inspection drones are used for finding out oil and gas wells, pipelines, and transmission infrastructure. The use of these drones can help in identifying potential issues, such as leaks, structural damage, corrosion, and others. According to the report published by the Council of Petroleum Accountants Societies in July 2021, the utilization of UAVs or drones increases the efficiency by 33% and reduces inspection cost by 50%. Due to these features, there has been an increased usage of drones in the oil and gas exploration industry.
Our in-depth analysis of the global inspection drones market includes the following segments:
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Type |
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Operation Mode |
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End User |
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Customize this ReportInspection Drones Industry - Regional Synopsis
North America Market Forecast
North America in inspection drones market is poised to account for the largest revenue share of 41% during the assessed time. The growth of the market can be ascribed mainly to the rising manufacturing of drones in the region. According to the Federal Aviation Administration in March 2025, there were 412,505 commercial drone registrations and 384,895 recreational flyer registrations in the U.S. Additionally, the utilization of drones for agriculture purposes is surging in the U.S. The report published by the New York Farm Bureau enunciated that the agriculture drone market garnered USD 4.8 billion in 2024.
Asia Pacific Market Forecast
The Asia Pacific inspection drones market is anticipated to be the second largest, registering a share of about 22%. The widespread adoption of drones in the region is due to increasing use of drones in agriculture in the region. For instance, in India, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched an initiative program in September 2021 to research the implementation of drones and artificial intelligence (AI) for rapid tracking of crop development, health, and management with improved input use efficiency. Other than this, in Japan, companies are developing drones equipped with Artificial Intelligence for inspections and surveys in dangerous places. A prominent company, Eams Robotics, in 2023, has implemented horizontal cooperation to develop drones by joining hands with other local companies to foster the industry.
Companies Dominating the Inspection Drones Landscape
- EPAZZ, Inc.
- Company Overview
- Business Strategy
- Key Product Offerings
- Financial Performance
- Key Performance Indicators
- Risk Analysis
- Recent Development
- Regional Presence
- SWOT Analysis
- Aerialtronics
- DJI
- 3D Robotics
- ECA Group
- Teledyne Flir LLC
- Northrop Grumman Corporation
- Parrot SAS
- Sensefly Ltd.
- Lockheed Martin
The competitive landscape of the inspection drones market is rapidly evolving as established key players, automotive giants, and new entrants are investing in novel technologies. Key players in the market are focused on developing new technologies and products catering to the stringent regulatory norms and consumer demand. These key players are adopting several strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, and novel product launches to enhance their product base and strengthen their market position. Here are some key players operating in the global inspection drones market:
In the News
- In February 2025, Adani Enterprises Ltd. launched Vehicle Mounted Counter Drone system at Aero India 2025 under PPP (public-private partnership). The system has been developed under the transfer of technology framework of DRDO and capable of strengthening self-reliance in defense.
- In January 2025, Hylio launched a drone capable of automating solar panel maintenance. The new drone can clean solar panels and treat weeds on the project sites. It will also eliminate the fleet requirement of personnel deployed in solar farms spread over acres.
Author Credits: Abhishek Verma
- Report ID: 5131
- Published Date: Dec 06, 2024
- Report Format: PDF, PPT
