Global drone market forecast to reach $83 billion (£61bn) by 2035, says DRONEII report

The global drone market is projected to reach $83 billion (equivalent to £61 billion) by 2035, according to new research from Drone Industry Insights (DRONEII), highlighting the continued rise of commercial drone adoption across multiple industries worldwide. The forecast was published as part of DII's Global Drone Market Report 2026-2035; the first time the outlook has been extended to a full decade.

Key takeaways

• The civil drone market is projected to grow from US$44.4 billion (£33bn) in 2026 to US$83.0 billion(£61bn) by 2035, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2%.

• The global drone industry is expected to see significant long-term growth, driven by increasing enterprise adoption, the compounding effects of proven use cases, technological advancements, and a growing dual-use market (ie police, firefighting, and emergency medical services).

• Industries including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, logistics, surveying, and public safety are continuing to integrate drones into day-to-day operations.

• Drone services continue to dominate the industry in 2026, accounting for 78.5% of the market, compared to 17% for hardware and 4.5% for software.

• Construction remains the leading industry for commercial drone use in 2026, with mapping and surveying being the dominant applications.

• There’s strong growth in drone delivery services, particularly in healthcare, emergency response, and logistics.

• Core drone use cases also include inspections of pipelines, power lines, wind turbines, offshore platforms, and refineries, as drones 'deliver clear operational advantages'.

• Drone industry investment rebounded sharply in 2025, with 77% going to dual-use drone companies operating across both civilian and defence markets, while hardware manufacturers attracted the majority of investment.

• Regulatory hurdles, particularly around BVLOS operations, remain one of the drone industry’s biggest challenges, while commercial and dual-use applications continue to drive growth as the recreational market stagnates.

Read the whole report here.

Conclusion

Overall, the drone industry has matured from an emerging technology market into a critical commercial ecosystem with significant long-term growth potential. As adoption grows, organisations are placing greater emphasis on training, compliance, operational support, and scalable drone programmes.

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