Global Airborne Surveillance Market Report

The airborne surveillance market was valued at USD 4.38 Billion in 2018 and is expected to reach around   USD 5.80 Billion by 2023 at a CAGR rate of 4.7% in the forecast period. The growth of the market can be attributed to the low-cost UAVs, amendments of laws, and rapid technological advancements.

Based on the type, the global surveillance market is segmented into LiDAR, radar, and imaging systems. Radar systems are expected to form one of the largest contributors in the Airborne Surveillance market. There is a much-growing demand and adoption of radar systems for airborne surveillance in military, security, and defense applications such as fixed-wing and rotary-wing, manned and unmanned aircraft, and small tactical UAVs(STSAVs).

Based on the product type, it is segmented as manned and unmanned systems. The unmanned system market is expected to be the major contributors and fastest-growing observed in both commercial and military applications. Unmanned aerial vehicles have mostly relied on already developed aviation technologies to meet their performance criteria. Different unmanned military systems include high altitude long endurance (HALE), Medium altitude long endurance (MALE), Tactical, Strategic, and others. Drones are generally combined with laser scanners and remote sensors to enable a more economical and easy method to scan smaller areas. Drones are updated with LiDAR technology for various applications such as agriculture, mining, forestry, surveying, and monitoring.

North America is accounted for the largest share in the airborne surveillance market. The market in North America is further classified into the US, Canada, and Mexico.  It is dominated by manufacturers such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and BAE Systems. Countries in North America especially the USA has a huge defense budget as compared to Europe or Asia thus leading the increasing demand for airborne systems in North America. The presence of major players in the US market is expected to be the key driver of the airborne surveillance market. Owing to the amendments by the FAA and the US government, it has raised interest for companies to invest in UAVs and drones. FAA has also approved more than 300 waivers for the use of drones in many places.

The market for airborne surveillance is increasing, as many influential countries are making sure to become secured from enemies. However, humans can control manned airborne surveillance but unmanned airborne surveillance is uncontrollable when any computer malfunctions. Airborne surveillance devices are costly to manufacture. The capacity of drones to support cameras and motors is not sufficient however commercial drones can typically fly continuously for 25 minutes which leads to an increase in costs. Some companies are manufacturing hydrogen fuel cells that are lighter and efficient than electric and lithium-ion batteries.

Competitive Landscaping

The market is very competitive with continuous innovative products and technological developments by establishes as well as new players. Some of the key players in airborne surveillance systems are BAE Systems, Boeing, Axis Communications AB, L-3 Communications, Raytheon, Rockwell Collins, Thales, UTC aerospace systems, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Textron Inc., Honeywell Security, Panasonic, Siemens G, Huawei Technologies among others. These companies are continuously evolving their portfolios with advanced technological developments and upgrades. For instance, in December 2017, Airbus and Williams Advanced collaborated to explore potential areas to innovate their products. Both companies are developing lightweight unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and batteries. Airbus had launched Zephyr which is a solar-powered unmanned aerial system or drone with surveillance and communication capabilities. William Advanced Engineering intends to produce and manufacture lightweight batteries for Airbus’s Zephyr for a better lifespan of UASs.

Market Drivers, Trends and Restraints

Rising demand for airborne surveillance systems for commercial applications and increasing adoption of unmanned Drones are the key drivers in this market. AI and Machine learning deployment to boost Airborne Surveillance System Automation and increasing the adoption of unmanned drones for surveillance.

There are some restraints such as high costs associated with airborne surveillance systems and a lack of skilled operators. Lack of appropriate air traffic management in emerging economies and there are concerns regarding public safety and privacy.

There are some opportunities in this market such as rising security budgets of developing economies, technological advancements, and increasing use of advanced batteries to increase the flying time for an airborne surveillance system.