Market Definition
A utility drone is an aerial vehicle with an in-built camera used predominantly in the utility sector, such as power, water, sewage services, hydro-electricity power generation dams, oil & natural gas, and renewable energy. A utility drone provides better surveillance, inspection, and improved maintenance services to power generation & distribution facilities. With the time & cost-efficiency, along with the ease of reachability in inaccessible & hazardous locations, utility drones have been witnessing significantly rising applications across different verticals worldwide over the previous few years.
Market Insights
The Global Utility Drone Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 36.22% during the forecast period 2021-26. The growth of the market is likely to be driven primarily by the mounting need for reducing outages associated with power infrastructures, coupled with enhancing the cost & time efficiency in asset management and reachability at hazardous locations. The commercial use of drones is anticipated to display an exponential rise in the coming years, as numerous start-ups are emerging across developing economies.
Drones, an asset management tool, help eliminate problems like power outages that impact the reliability of transmission systems, especially in countries where energy prices are high. The burgeoning adoption of drones worldwide has enabled utility companies to reach difficult locations, gather detailed insights, and solve issues by improved monitoring & minimized downtime. Moreover, the constant digital transformation in the utility sector shall further enhance the adoption rate of drones in the coming years since they minimize the need for human presence on-site and are highly useful for monitoring & maintenance operations.
However, stringent regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that limit the usage of drones might act as a prominent growth restraint for the Global Utility Drone Market during 2021-26. These norms restrict long-distance drone operations & in situations like Beyond Visual Line-Of-Sight (BVLOS). Moreover, utility companies have not utilized drone services to the fullest for enhancing the efficiency of infrastructural inspection & disaster recovery. As a result, these aspects are expected to hinder the demand for utility drones and negatively impact the global market in the coming years.
| Report Coverage | Details |
|---|---|
| Study Period | Historical Data: 2016-19 |
| Base Year: 2020 | |
| Forecast Period: 2021-26 | |
| CAGR(2021-26) | 36.22% |
| Regions Covered | North America: USA, Canada, Mexico |
| Europe: Germany, France, Italy UK, Russia | |
| Asia-Pacific: China, India, Japan, Australia and Others | |
| South America: Brazil, and Argentina | |
| Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa and Others | |
| Key Companies Profiled | Asset Drone, Cyberhawk, ABJ Drones, Terra Drone, Measure, Sharper Shape, SkyScape, ULC Robotics, Sky-Futures, PrecisionHawk) |
| Unit Denominations | USD Million/Billion |
Impact of Covid-19 on the Global Utility Drone Market
In 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for utility drones observed a significant rise due to their various benefits that outweighed the potential challenges & difficulties associated with the virus. Amidst the crisis, these drones were used excessively to deliver Covid-19 vaccines, particularly across Asia, North America, & Africa. Additionally, Asian countries like China further used these drones to inspect & monitor the containment zones & remote places and impose social distancing.
On the other hand, with the imposition of stringent movement restrictions & frequent lockdowns & the shutting down of production units, the supply chain of raw materials got severely hampered. Consequently, the production of drones observed halts due to the shortage of raw materials & human power to carry out manufacturing operations.
Market Segmentation
Based on Type:
Amongst both, Multi-Rotor drones are projected to continue their dominance in the Global Utility Drone Market during 2021-26. These drones have multiple blades or rotors and possess extensive applications, particularly for airborne photography, inspection, & equipment monitoring. They are easy to control, can work in compact areas, & readily available at reasonable prices.
Their high efficiency & reduced costs have attracted massive investments from the leading market players. Moreover, since they can easily hover at a specific position & provide enhanced visuals without risking the lives of humans, their demand is expected to surge at a rapid pace in the coming years, especially across Asia-Pacific.
Based on End-User:
Here, the power vertical is the leading end-user of the global utility drone market, primarily due to various advantages of using utility drones for the power sector, including detailed & accurate insights owing to better images, quick response, reduced operational & maintenance costs, negligible environmental impact, and enhanced worker safety. Drones have numerous applications in the power & utility sector to better or substitute ineffective processes and call forth a complete business makeover.
Manual inspections in the power sector that involve long-range photography, climbing, buckets, or helicopters lack the details & flexibility and can lead to numerous risks, all of which can be well-avoided using drones. Though, helicopters can provide quick data & hover over large areas. However, they are expensive, can’t work near residential areas, and usually miss slender issues. As a result, the power industry extensively utilizes utility drones for the inspection & monitoring of transmission & distribution (T&D) lines, towers, & substations. Hence, all these aspects indicate the immense potential of drones across the power sector, which, in turn, would fuel the overall market growth in the years to come.
Recent Developments by the Leading Market Players
A global leader in drone inspections, Cyberhawk, has recently launched more than 22,000 drone flights to inspect nearly 25,000 electric utility structures across the Western US. This initiative happened during the first six months of 2021 as a part of utility-critical campaigns like wildfire prevention & reliability. With this initiative to inspect the electric utility structures, the company is now displaying its effectiveness as it expands across the US market to help utilities maintain a reliable & flexible network of power grids.
In 2020, Cyberhawk initiated a program that shall eventually carry out drone inspections of over 50,000 transmission structures. Besides, the leader empowers its utility partners to make informed decisions for maintenance & assessing shutoffs via defect identification, tracking of remedial actions, and maintenance planning. It shall further reduce risk, environmental impact, downtime, and costs by removing the need for line workers to work in hazardous areas and excluding the use of helicopters.
Regional Landscape
Based on Region:
Amongst all regions globally, Asia-Pacific is expecting a rapid expansion of the Utility Drones Market during 2021-26. The rapidly increasing adoption of utility drones to inspect critical infrastructure for renewable energy installations is the prime aspect driving the regional market. For instance, the adoption of wind energy has established several wind farms in countries like China & India. Here, windmills are prone to natural phenomena like hailstorms, rainfall, lightning, salt & dust accumulation, etc. Besides, wind turbines are subjected to the risk of injury and can cause a problem in any aspect.
Hence, with the application of drones, the potential threats & issues are quickly detected without the need for direct contact. Moreover, Utility Drone is a cost-effective & efficient inspection method to gather & process on-site analysis & assessment associating the condition of the rotor blades. Across the region, China & India are expected to be the fastest-growing markets over the forecast years. Here, the employment of drones is extensive for inspection & monitoring across the agriculture & utility sectors.
On the other hand, North America is projected to dominate the market with the largest share during 2021-26. It owes to increasing power consumption, rising investments by the leading market players in the power infrastructure, and mounting government focus on renewable power generation. In addition, the growing demand for drones in sectors like infrastructure & construction, agriculture, oil & gas, mining, and utilities shall also drive the regional market in the years to come.
Key Questions Answered in the Market Research Report:
Frequently Asked Questions
A. The Global Utility Drone Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 36.22% in the forecast period of 2021-26.
A. Multi-Rotor drones are projected to create remunerative opportunities for the leading players operating in the Global Utility Drone Market through 2026.
A. Drones being an asset management tool used for eliminating problems like power outages that impact the reliability of transmission systems, especially in countries with high energy prices, is the prime aspect expected to drive the Global Utility Drone Market in the coming years.
1. Introduction
1.1. Research Process
1.2. Assumption
1.3. Market Segmentation
1.4. Market Definition
2. Executive Summary
3. Expert Verbatim- What our Experts Say?
4. Global Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
4.1. Market Potential & Outlook
4.1.1. By Revenues
4.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
4.2.1. By Type
4.2.1.1. Multi Rotor
4.2.1.2. Fixed Wing
4.2.2. By Services
4.2.2.1. End-to-End Solution
4.2.2.2. Point Solution
4.2.3. By End User
4.2.3.1. Power Vertical
4.2.3.1.1. Power Generation
4.2.3.1.2. Power Transmission
4.2.3.2. Renewable Vertical
4.2.3.2.1. Wind
4.2.3.2.2. Solar
4.2.4. By Application
4.2.4.1. Real-time Monitoring
4.2.4.2. Risk Identification & Management
4.2.4.3. Asset Management
4.2.4.4. Predictive Maintenance
4.2.4.5. Others
4.2.5. By Region
4.2.5.1. North America
4.2.5.2. South America
4.2.5.3. Europe
4.2.5.4. Middle East & Africa
4.2.5.5. Asia-Pacific
4.2.6. By Company
4.2.6.1. Revenue Shares
4.2.6.2. Strategic Factorial Indexing
4.2.6.3. Competitor Placement in Markntel Quadrant
5. North America Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
5.1. Market Potential & Outlook
5.1.1. By Revenues
5.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
5.2.1. By Type
5.2.2. By Services
5.2.3. By End User
5.2.4. By Application
5.2.5. By Country
5.2.5.1. US
5.2.5.2. Mexico
5.2.5.3. Canada
5.3. The US Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
5.3.1. Market Potential & Outlook
5.3.1.1. By Revenues
5.3.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
5.3.2.1. By Type
5.3.2.2. By Services
5.3.2.3. By End User
5.3.2.4. By Application
5.3.2.5. By Region
5.4. Canada Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
5.4.1. Market Potential & Outlook
5.4.1.1. By Revenues
5.4.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
5.4.2.1. By Type
5.4.2.2. By Services
5.4.2.3. By End User
5.4.2.4. By Application
5.4.2.5. By Region
5.5. Mexico Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
5.5.1. Market Potential & Outlook
5.5.1.1. By Revenues
5.5.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
5.5.2.1. By Type
5.5.2.2. By Services
5.5.2.3. By End User
5.5.2.4. By Application
5.5.2.5. By Region
6. South America Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
6.1. Market Potential & Outlook
6.1.1. By Revenues
6.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
6.2.1. By Type
6.2.2. By Services
6.2.3. By End User
6.2.4. By Application
6.2.5. By Country
6.2.5.1. Brazil
6.2.5.2. Argentina
6.2.5.3. Others
6.3. Brazil Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
6.3.1. Market Potential & Outlook
6.3.1.1. By Revenues
6.3.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
6.3.2.1. By Type
6.3.2.2. By Services
6.3.2.3. By End User
6.3.2.4. By Application
6.3.2.5. By Region
6.4. Argentina Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
6.4.1. Market Potential & Outlook
6.4.1.1. By Revenues
6.4.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
6.4.2.1. By Type
6.4.2.2. By Services
6.4.2.3. By End User
6.4.2.4. By Application
6.4.2.5. By Region
7. Europe Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
7.1. Market Potential & Outlook
7.2. Market Potential & Outlook
7.2.1. By Revenues
7.3. Market Segmentation & Outlook
7.3.1. By Type
7.3.2. By Services
7.3.3. By End User
7.3.4. By Application
7.3.5. By Country
7.3.5.1. Germany
7.3.5.2. France
7.3.5.3. UK
7.3.5.4. Italy
7.3.5.5. Russia
7.3.5.6. others
7.4. Germany Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
7.4.1. Market Potential & Outlook
7.4.1.1. By Revenues
7.4.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
7.4.2.1. By Type
7.4.2.2. By Services
7.4.2.3. By End User
7.4.2.4. By Application
7.4.2.5. By Region
7.5. France Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
7.5.1. Market Potential & Outlook
7.5.1.1. By Revenues
7.5.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
7.5.2.1. By Type
7.5.2.2. By Services
7.5.2.3. By End User
7.5.2.4. By Application
7.5.2.5. By Region
7.6. Italy Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
7.6.1. Market Potential & Outlook
7.6.1.1. By Revenues
7.6.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
7.6.2.1. By Type
7.6.2.2. By Services
7.6.2.3. By End User
7.6.2.4. By Application
7.6.2.5. By Region
7.7. The UK Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
7.7.1. Market Potential & Outlook
7.7.1.1. By Revenues
7.7.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
7.7.2.1. By Type
7.7.2.2. By Services
7.7.2.3. By End User
7.7.2.4. By Application
7.7.2.5. By Region
7.8. Russia Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
7.8.1. Market Potential & Outlook
7.8.1.1. By Revenues
7.8.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
7.8.2.1. By Type
7.8.2.2. By Services
7.8.2.3. By End User
7.8.2.4. By Application
7.8.2.5. By Region
8. Middle East & Africa Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
8.1. Market Potential & Outlook
8.1.1. By Revenues
8.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
8.2.1. By Type
8.2.2. By Services
8.2.3. By End User
8.2.4. By Application
8.2.5. By Country
8.2.5.1. Saudi Arabia
8.2.5.2. UAE
8.2.5.3. South Africa
8.3. Saudi Arabia Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
8.3.1. Market Potential & Outlook
8.3.1.1. By Revenues
8.3.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
8.3.2.1. By Type
8.3.2.2. By Services
8.3.2.3. By End User
8.3.2.4. By Application
8.3.2.5. By Region
8.4. UAE Utility Drone Market Outlook 2016-2026F
8.4.1. Market Potential & Outlook
8.4.1.1. By Revenues
8.4.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
8.4.2.1. By Type
8.4.2.2. By Services
8.4.2.3. By End User
8.4.2.4. By Application
8.4.2.5. By Region
8.5. South Africa Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
8.5.1. Market Potential & Outlook
8.5.1.1. By Revenues
8.5.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
8.5.2.1. By Type
8.5.2.2. By Services
8.5.2.3. By End User
8.5.2.4. By Application
8.5.2.5. By Region
9. Asia-Pacific Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
9.1. Market Potential & Outlook
9.1.1. By Revenues
9.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
9.2.1. By Type
9.2.2. By Services
9.2.3. By End User
9.2.4. By Application
9.2.5. By Country
9.2.5.1. China
9.2.5.2. India
9.2.5.3. Australia
9.2.5.4. Japan
9.3. China Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
9.3.1. Market Potential & Outlook
9.3.1.1. By Revenues
9.3.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
9.3.2.1. By Type
9.3.2.2. By Services
9.3.2.3. By End User
9.3.2.4. By Application
9.3.2.5. By Region
9.4. India Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
9.4.1. Market Potential & Outlook
9.4.1.1. By Revenues
9.4.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
9.4.2.1. By Type
9.4.2.2. By Services
9.4.2.3. By End User
9.4.2.4. By Application
9.4.2.5. By Region
9.5. Australia Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
9.5.1. Market Potential & Outlook
9.5.1.1. By Revenues
9.5.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
9.5.2.1. By Type
9.5.2.2. By Services
9.5.2.3. By End User
9.5.2.4. By Application
9.5.2.5. By Region
9.6. Japan Utility Drone Market Outlook, 2016-2026F
9.6.1. Market Potential & Outlook
9.6.1.1. By Revenues
9.6.2. Market Segmentation & Outlook
9.6.2.1. By Type
9.6.2.2. By Services
9.6.2.3. By End User
9.6.2.4. By Application
9.6.2.5. By Region
10. Global Utility Drone Market Policies, Regulations, Product Standards
11. Global Utility Drone Market Trends & Insights
12. Global Utility Drone Market Dynamics
12.1.Growth Drivers
12.2.Challenges
12.3.Impact Analysis
13. Global Utility Drone Market Hotspot and Opportunities
14. Global Utility Drone Market Key Strategic Imperatives for Success and Growth
15. Competitive Outlook
15.1.Competition Matrix
15.1.1. Product Portfolio
15.1.2. Brand Specialization
15.1.3. Target Markets
15.1.4. Target End Users
15.1.5. Research & Development
15.1.6. Strategic Alliances
15.1.7. Strategic Initiatives
15.2.Company Profiles (Business Description, Product Segments, Business Segments, Financials, Strategic Alliances/ Partnerships, Future Plans)
15.2.1. Asset Drone
15.2.2. Cyberhawk
15.2.3. ABJ Drones
15.2.4. Terra Drone
15.2.5. Measure
15.2.6. Sharper Shape
15.2.7. Sky Scape
15.2.8. ULC Robotics
15.2.9. Sky-Futures
15.2.10. Precisionhawk
16. Disclaimer
