Global drone market forecast to reach US$147.8 Billion by 2036

• Global drone market to grow to US$147.8 billion (equivalent to £110.5 billion) by 2036, a study by IDTechEx forecasts;

• The report says that drone operations in the inspection and maintenance sectors will account for more than 25% of total commercial drone revenue by 2030;

• Drone delivery is beginning to achieve genuine commercial traction, according to the study;

• Growth driven by accelerating enterprise adoption and increasing use of autonomous data-driven drone operations.

A new industry report forecasts that the global drone market will grow from US$69 billion in 2026 to US$147.8 billion (equivalent to £110.5 billion) by 2036, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%.

The study, Drones Market 2026–2036: Technologies, Markets, and Opportunities, has been published by IDTechEx, a leading provider of independent market research into emerging technologies.

According to the report, growth in the commercial drone market is being driven by accelerating enterprise adoption, expanding regulatory approval pathways, and the increasing use of autonomous, data-driven drone operations across multiple industries.

Drones are now transitioning from experimental tools to essential infrastructure for sectors including agriculture, logistics, energy, security, and public-sector operations.

Commercial drone unit shipments are projected to exceed 9 million per year by 2036, highlighting the industry’s shift toward scalable, repeatable UAS workflows.

The report: Key drone market trends and findings

Drone inspection and maintenance becomes the fastest-growing application

The report identifies inspection and maintenance drones as the fastest-growing segment of the commercial drone market.

Energy, utilities, and infrastructure operators are rapidly deploying drones for automated inspection of wind turbines, powerlines, pipelines, and oil and gas assets. These systems reduce operational risk, improve data quality, and lower inspection costs.

From 2025 onwards, organisations are expected to increasingly adopt fully-automated inspection workflows, including drone-in-a-box solutions (such as the DJI Dock ecosystem), remote fleet management, and AI-powered cloud analytics.

IDTechEx forecasts that inspection and maintenance will account for more than 25% of total commercial drone revenue by 2030, overtaking agriculture as the leading application.

Drone delivery moves toward commercial maturity

Despite ongoing regulatory and operational challenges, drone delivery (such as the DJI FlyCart Series) is beginning to achieve genuine commercial traction.

Companies in the US, Europe, and China are expanding last-mile drone delivery services for e-commerce, food, and medical logistics. At the same time, mid-range logistics drones are emerging for long-distance supply routes, particularly in remote and island regions.

Progress in automated loading systems, cold-chain drone logistics, and UTM / U-space frameworks is enabling more scalable operations.

The long-term growth of delivery drones will depend heavily on BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) approvals and the rollout of national unmanned traffic management systems.

Drones remain critical to disaster response and emergency services

The report highlights the continued importance of drones in disaster response and public safety operations.

Drones equipped with thermal, optical, and acoustic sensors are widely used for night-time search and rescue, wildfire monitoring, earthquake response, and post-disaster damage assessment.

Advances in multi-drone coordination and AI-based geolocation algorithms are improving coverage, response times, and operational efficiency.

While smaller in absolute market value, this sector is expected to see consistent long-term growth supported by government investment.

Agriculture enters the era of large-scale digital farming

Agricultural drones have evolved from early trials to full commercial maturity, especially in China, the US, and Southeast Asia.

Core applications such as spraying, seeding, and crop monitoring have become profitable and widely adopted.

In 2025, more than 30% of large farms worldwide are estimated to be using drones for field operations.

Integration of AI vision, multispectral imaging, and precision analytics enables a data-centric farming model that continues to expand.

Global drone regulations shift toward risk-based frameworks

Drone regulation worldwide is increasingly moving toward risk-based, tiered regulatory frameworks that support commercial operations.

The report notes that the US (Part 107), EU (C0–C6), UK (CAP 722), and China have all established clearer regulatory pathways, particularly for BVLOS flights.

These frameworks are critical to unlocking advanced commercial drone operations, including inspection, logistics, and autonomous missions.

Sensor proliferation drives advanced drone autonomy

Between 2025 and 2036, commercial drone shipments are expected to grow by 2.3x, while drone sensor shipments are forecast to increase by 4x.

This trend reflects a shift toward higher sensor density and more capable autonomous drone systems.

The report states that, by 2036, many industrial and BVLOS-capable drones are expected to carry 10–15 sensors per platform, including:

• Multi-camera vision systems.

• Higher-performance LiDAR and radar.

• Ultrasonic and pressure sensors for low-altitude control.

• Barometric altimeters.

• Redundant IMUs for high-reliability missions.

What this means for the future of the drone industry

The IDTechEx report provides a clear view of how the global drone market is evolving, with commercial drones playing an increasingly central role in enterprise, infrastructure, and public-sector operations.

As regulatory frameworks mature and autonomous technologies advance, organisations that invest early in compliant, scalable drone operations will be best positioned to realise long-term value.

If you’re looking to start, scale, or future-proof your UAS operations, heliguy™ can support you with drone platforms, regulatory approvals, training, and enterprise drone solutions. Contact us today to get started.