Unmanned Helicopter Market Research, Trends and Forecast

Unmanned Helicopter Market Drivers, Challenges and Opportunities

According to market projections, the unmanned helicopter sector is expected to grow from USD 1.07 billion in 2024 to USD 3.48 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 12.53%.

Introduction

The unmanned helicopter market is a prominent branch of the aerospace sector. This industry deals in developing autonomous helicopters for operating several critical applications. There are numerous types of unmanned helicopters available in the market comprising of small (below 10kg), medium (10-25 kg) and heavy (25 kgs). These helicopters are used in military sector for numerous applications such as ISR, combat, search & rescue, transportation, naval support, border support and some others. Also, these unmanned systems find application in government agency for different activities including planning, inspection, surveying, public safety, search & rescue and some others. Moreover, these helicopters are used in industrial settings for planning, inspection, surveying and some others. The rising government investment to strengthen the defense sector in various nations such as India, China, UK, U.S., Germany and some others has boosted the market expansion.

• According to the SIPRI, the defense expenditure of North America in 2022 was US$ 886.3 billion in 2022 that increased to US$ 907 in 2023.

Highlights of the Unmanned Helicopter Market

• North America dominated the unmanned helicopter market due to presence of numerous market players along with the growing demand for unmanned helicopters from defense sector.
• Asia Pacific is expected to grow with a notable CAGR due to the technological advancements in aerospace sector coupled with rising government emphasis on surveying methodologies.
• The heavy segment held the largest share of the market due to the growing demand for border security and cargo transport.
• The government agency segment led the market due to increasing government investment in surveys, tracking wildlife, forest monitoring and some others.

Stats and Figures

• According to the Ministry of Defense, the government of India allocated around Rs 6,21,940.85 crores for strengthening the defense sector in India.
• According to the Government of Sweden, the defense budget of Sweden is expected to reach SEK 138 billion in 2025.
• According to the German Defense Organization, the German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced to spend US$ 140 billion in 2025 for strengthening the defense sector in Germany.
• According to the Invest UP, the Ministry of Defense has set a target of achieving a turnover of INR 1.75 Lakh Cr in aerospace and defense manufacturing by 2025.

Industry Leader Announcement

In January 2024, Bruno Even, the CEO of Airbus Helicopters announced that, “We are looking forward to welcoming Aerovel into the Airbus family. This strategic acquisition aligns with our vision to expand our UAS offering and respond to a growing customer demand worldwide for additional mission capabilities such as manned-unmanned teaming. Aerovel's expertise in autonomous flight technology will undoubtedly complement our UAS development with the VSR700, as well as the work that we have been doing to develop interoperability."

Competitive Landscape

The unmanned helicopter-market is a fragmented market with the presence of numerous players. Some of the prominent market players in this market includes Airbus, VELOS Rotors LLC, HELIPSE, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Saab Group, Anduril Industries, Alpha Unmanned Systems and some others. These market players are constantly engaged in developing unmanned helicopters to cater the demands of numerous end-user sector.

• According to the annual report of Airbus, helicopter segment generated a revenue of 7048 million euros in 2022 that increased to 7337 million euros.

Market Segmentations

By Type

• Small (Below 10kg)
• Medium (10-25kg)
• Heavy (Above 25kg)

By Application

• Military
• ISR
• Combat
• Search & Rescue
• Transportation
• Naval Support
• Border Support
• Government Agency
• Planning
• Inspection
• Surveying
• Public Safety
• Search & Rescue
• Industrial
• Planning
• Inspection
• Surveying

By Region

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa