Drones in Energy Market Size, Share, By Drone Type (Multi-Rotor Drones, Fixed-Wing Drones, VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) Drones), By Technology (High-Definition (HD) and Thermal Imaging Cameras, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)), By Application (Inspection & Maintenance, Mapping & Surveying, and Data Collection), By End-User (Oil & Gas, Power Generation, and Renewables), and By Region - Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2034

• In 2024, the drones in energy market size was valued at USD 640.6 million.
• The market is expected to be worth USD 2547 million by 2034.
• The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.4% during the forecast period.

Drones are increasingly being utilized in the energy sector for various applications. These UAVs offer a cheap and effective way to inspect, monitor, and maintain energy infrastructures like power lines, wind turbines, solar panels, and oil and gas facilities. High-resolution cameras, thermal imaging sensors, and other customized equipment. Drones can identify faults, observe damage, and collect data that would otherwise be very difficult or dangerous for workers. The increasing need for safety is expected to augment market expansion.

Key Takeaways:

• North America is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period owing to the increasing focus on advanced technologies.
• Asia Pacific is projected to witness significant growth during due to rising investments in renewable energy infrastructure development.

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Key Drivers of Target Market:

Enhanced Safety is Expected to Drive Market Growth

• Traditional inspection methods in energy infrastructure undertaking typically expose human workers to many risks. Drones can access hazardous and hard-to-reach areas, reducing the need for personnel exposure to dangerous situations. This reduces workplace accidents, injuries, and related fatalities, improving the energy sector's general safety. For instance, if a drone is sent to inspect the condition of a damaged high-voltage power line, it eliminates the need for a technician to climb the tower and significantly reduces the risks of electrocution or falling. Similarly, drones can also be deployed inside confined spaces within oil refineries or storage tanks to conduct an inspection and minimize a human's decision to enter an unknown space that could be hazardous.

Improved Efficiency to Propel Market Expansion

• Drones increase the speed of the inspection and data collection compared to conventional methods. They can race across large areas, slide into tight spaces, and collect detailed data in a single deployment. Faster turnarounds for inspections, less downtime for maintenance activities, and improved operational efficiency follow. For example, the time a drone takes to inspect a wind turbine is a fraction of that taken by a rope access technician, and this disrupts very little of its energy capture. Moreover, routine inspections can be carried out by programming the path for the drones to fly along, making it even more efficient and reducing manual piloting.

Restrains:

Growing Technological Constraints May Impede Market Expansion

• Even though drone technology is rapidly evolving, some limitations persist. Battery life remains a significant challenge, keeping flight times down for complex inspections. Besides, capacity restrictions in payloads further limit the kinds of sensors that might be flown on drones, which could affect their ability to collect data. Moreover, bad weather conditions, such as strong winds or heavy rain, might significantly affect drone operation. Beyond these limitations, the independence of a drone to fly through environments with complicated structures and to avoid obstacles on its own is still under development. This is particularly true in intricate inspections in dense power line corridors or cluttered industrial settings.

Opportunities:

Adoption of Inspection & Maintenance Can Provide Opportunities in Future

• While inspection and maintenance are the most significant applications, drones can also become incredibly valuable in emergencies and security operations in the energy sector. Picture dispatching drones to search-and-rescue missions within a hazardous environment after a power plant or oil rig accident. This would mean the drones locate injured personnel in seconds, much faster than hand-searched efforts could pull off, saving lives. Similarly, drones can be sent to assess the damage caused by hurricanes, wildfires, or any other disaster. Their data will be beneficial to emergency responders in recovery operations. Also, drone patrols can provide the security function of perimeter patrol of energy infrastructure, thus frustrating costly thefts or vandalism and resulting in enhanced security at such facilities.

The drones in energy market is segmented into drone type, technology, application, and end-user.

Drone Type Insights:

By drone type, the market is classified into multi-rotor drones, fixed-wind drones, and VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) drones. The multi-rotor drones segment is expected to dominate the market over the projected period. The growth is attributed to their ease of maneuverability.

Technology Insights:

Based on technology, the market is bifurcated into high-definition (HD) and thermal imaging cameras and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The LiDAR segment is leading the market as it is being highly used for planning and maintenance.

Application Insights:

On the basis of application, the market is categorized into inspection & maintenance, mapping & surveying, and data collection. The inspection & maintenance segment is expected to propel in the market as they rapidly detect the risks and provide effective maintenance.

End-User:

By end-user, the market is segmented into oil & gas, power generation, and renewables. The market is being dominated by the oil & gas segment due to their wide range of applications from storage tank inspection to offshore rig inspection.

Regional Insights:

Geographically, the solar photovoltaic (PV) market is analyzed into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

• North America: While perceived as a leader in drone technology, North America holds a mature drone market within its energy sector, focused on further advanced technologies and regulations. This is where leading drone manufacturers like DJI and Skydio call home, but more importantly, where the mature ecosystem of service providers and software developers serves the energy industry. North America is also at the forefront of developing and implementing regulations for safe and efficient drone use in the energy sector.
• Asia Pacific: This regional market is growing exponentially, barring increased investments in the development of renewable energy infrastructure. Countries, such as China and India present a thriving drone market across energy applications. Government initiatives on clean energy, coupled with vast geographic landscapes and challenging terrains, are enriching the adoption rate of drones in inspection, monitoring, and maintenance tasks. Moreover, given the focus on cost efficiency in the energy sector, drones offer an extreme case for their ability to reduce operational expenditure while enhancing safety.

Drones in Energy Market Report Scope:

Attribute	Details
Market Size 2024	USD 640.4 Million
Projected Market Size 2034	USD 2547.4 Million
CAGR Growth Rate	16.4%
Base year for estimation	2023
Forecast period	2024 – 2034
Market representation	Revenue in USD Million & CAGR from 2024 to 2034
Market Segmentation	By Drone Type - Multi-Rotor Drones, Fixed-Wing Drones, VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) Drones By Technology - High-Definition (HD) and Thermal Imaging Cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) By Application - Inspection & Maintenance, Mapping & Surveying, and Data Collection. By End-User - Oil & Gas, Power Generation, and Renewables
Regional scope	North America - U.S. and Canada Europe – U.K., Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Russia, and Rest of Europe Asia Pacific - Japan, India, China, South Korea, Australia, and Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America - Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa - South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Rest of Middle East & Africa
Report coverage	Revenue forecast, company share, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Segmentation:

By Drone Type:

• Multi-Rotor Drones
• Fixed-Wing Drones
• VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) Drones

By Technology:

• High-Definition (HD) and Thermal Imaging Cameras
• LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)

By Application:

• Inspection & Maintenance
• Mapping & Surveying
• Data Collection

By End-User:

• Oil & Gas
• Power Generation
• Renewables

By Region:

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• Germany
• U.K.
• France
• Russia
• Italy
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC
• Israel
• South Africa
• Rest of Middle East & Africa

Company Profile:

Company Name	AeroVinronment, Inc.
Headquarter	Virginia, U.S.
CEO	Wahid Nawabi
Employee Count (2022)	1,214 Empoloyees

The key players operating the drones in energy market include Microdrones, DJI, Aibotix GmbH Limited, Drone America, Draganfly Innovations Inc., ING Robotic Aviation, Aeryon Labs Plc., AeroVironment, Inc., Ascending Technologies Inc., and Univision.

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• In May 2023, Tinamu and Parrot formed a technical cooperation to provide automated interior monitoring solutions. Parrot, the leading European drone manufacturer, and Tinamu, a Swiss drone automation technology supplier, announced a collaboration to integrate the Parrot ANAFI AI drone into Tinamu's indoor monitoring systems. Tinamu provides global corporations with automated warehouse inventory management systems in mining, commodity trading, and construction.
• In March 2023, Field acquired PrecisionHawk, an AI drone technology company. Field has announced the acquisition of PrecisionHawk, a U.S.-based artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology firm focused on infrastructure management. PrecisionHawk, which has a premium client list of Fortune 500 firms, complements Field's international growth plan, notably its expansion in the U.S.

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• Microdrones *
• DJI
• Aibotix GmbH Limited
• Drone America
• Draganfly Innovations Inc.
• ING Robotic Aviation
• Aeryon Labs Plc.
• AeroVironment, Inc.
• Ascending Technologies Inc.
• Univision