Drone Camera Market Trends

Global Drone Camera Market Overview:

Drone Camera Market Size was valued at USD 11.1 billion in 2022. The Drone Camera market industry is projected to grow from USD 14.3 Billion in 2023 to USD 66.2 billion by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.0% during the forecast period (2023 - 2030). Due to their ability to capture high-quality photos from a wider angle, high-resolution cameras are becoming increasingly in demand across various industries. Also, an increase in the defense budget has allowed governments from different nations to partner with drone and component makers to deliver better and more sophisticated products to support the market drivers of the drone camera industry. 

Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Drone Camera Market Trends

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  Rising Defense Budgets of Government Bodies to boost the market growth

  
  

The introduction of technologically improved goods and the drone market's favorable growth rate are the main factors propelling the growth of the drone camera market. However, there is a market opportunity due to the growing demand for drones in emerging nations. The drone camera market has seen a significant amount of technological development. One of the most important incremental market developments is miniaturization.

More effective trade-offs between the drone and its maximum payload, flying range, and maximum altitude are made possible by adopting lighter, more efficient batteries and innovative materials. The second significant trend in the market is the increase in drone autonomy. The application of cutting-edge technology, like autonomous operations, where the use of a human operator for remote drone control is partially or entirely excluded. Most commercially available drones are operated remotely and include some autonomy features, such as stabilizing software. Pre-planned flights are available with professional drones. It is projected that in the coming years, autonomy will be used increasingly to identify and avoid systems, plan flight routes for conducting evasive maneuvers like airplanes and birds, and adjust to defensive reactions when under attack and changing weather conditions. The innovation is the swarming of drones that can function as sensor networks. Therefore, rising defense and military applications have recently enhanced the Drone Camera market CAGR globally.

Significant drivers influencing market revenue growth include the growing accessibility and affordability of drones, the expansion of the applications for GPS, inspection and mapping services, and LiDAR, as well as the increasing demand for aerial photography and cinematography. Drones are more dependable, especially in security management, because they are quicker, cheaper, and capable of greater heights than conventional airborne monitoring systems. Providing live photos and videos to operational centers also fuels the market's revenue growth. Aiding in risk mitigation procedures will increase Drone Camera market revenue.

Drone Camera Market Segment Insights:

Drone Camera Resolution Insights

Based on the resolution, the Drone Camera Market segmentation includes 12 MP, 12 to 20 MP, 20 to 32 MP, and 32 MP & Above. 32 MP and above segment held the majority share in 2022 contribution to around ~45-47% concerning the Drone Camera Market revenue. Drones with 32 MP or higher quality cameras are typically employed for security and defense operations. These drones monitor suspicious places and give detailed information about what is done there. They have transitioned to UAVs with cutting-edge components like high-resolution cameras and navigation systems due to growing national safety and security concerns and increased budgetary allocations in the defense industry.

April 2022: Snapchat unveiled several new features and capabilities, such as sophisticated AR tools for eCommerce brands and enhanced platforms that would enable more companies to produce AR experiences. Also, "Pixy," a little drone, will follow you while uploading the video to the app. Pixy is a drone that Snap is developing. A tonne of information about it recently leaked, including pictures and what appears to be an incomplete user manual published by the FCC. The drone is tiny; according to rulers in the pictures, it is around 130 millimeters wide and 120 millimeters height, or 5.1 inches by 4.7 inches.

Drone Camera Application Insights

Based on application, the Drone Camera Market segmentation includes photography & videography, thermal imaging, and surveillance. Throughout the projected period, surveillance is anticipated to increase at the maximum CAGR holding the most significant market share. Drones monitor potential suspects or areas to monitor their movements. Drones with cameras have many benefits, including excellent image quality and simplicity of usage for security. Also, they can offer thorough information on locations, provided they work well on hard-to-reach spots. For instance, drones with cameras are frequently employed for monitoring and might be helpful in disaster-affected areas to assess the loss or damage, impacting the market growth positively.

Figure 2: Drone Camera Market, by Application, 2022 & 2030 (USD billion)

Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database, and Analyst Review

Drone Camera Type Insights

The Drone Camera Market data has been bifurcated by type into SD Camera and HD Camera. The HD camera is expected to dominate during the forecast period. An HD camera produces images with a high resolution and quality. An HD camera's default resolution is either 720p or 1080p. HD cameras are becoming more and more common in the drone camera market. This is made possible by the cutting-edge capabilities provided by HD cameras, such as the best aerial images and higher-resolution video. Furthermore, the development of high-definition drone cameras in the global market is complemented by higher storage capacity, improved image and video capture accuracy, and simplicity of deployment in all circumstances.

January 2022: A military technology company called Red Cat Holdings, Inc. integrated robotic hardware and software to provide battlefield commanders and on-the-ground warfighters with vital situational awareness and actionable intelligence. A Red Cat subsidiary, Teal Drones, has teamed up with Canadian optical products giant Immervision, whose newest navigation camera module is used in unmanned and surveillance systems. Teal's flagship drone will have exceptional low-light capabilities thanks to Immervision, which was demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and impacted the growth of the Drone Camera industry.

Drone Camera End User Insights

Based on End Users, the global Drone Camera industry has been segmented into commercial, military, and homeland security. The drone camera market is anticipated to be dominated by the military sector. A drone created explicitly for military use is known as a military drone. These drones are made to fly above the line of sight of humans to conduct thermal scanning over a particular area. Military drone cameras are becoming more and more common as a result of rising defense spending by various countries, escalating rivalry between neighboring countries, the need for covert surveillance at questionable locations, and the development of new and cutting-edge products like high-resolution cameras and cameras with GPS that can carry out a variety of tasks.

Drone Camera Regional Insights

By Region, the study provides market insights into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. North America Drone Camera market accounted for USD 5.1 billion in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a significant CAGR growth during the study period. This is due to the quick adoption of cutting-edge technologies and high-value investments, particularly by the military and defense sectors. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) claims drone flight is permitted in the United States. Other factors influencing the market's revenue growth in this region include favorable FAA-issued legislation, a sizable potential for research and innovation originating in tech hubs like Silicon Valley, and a dense drone ecosystem.

Further, the major countries studied in the market report are: The U.S, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Brazil.

Figure 3: Drone Camera Market SHARE BY REGION 2022 (%)

Europe Drone Camera market accounts for the second-largest market share during the forecast period. This is brought on by a growing need for drones to assess infrastructure, sample oil, monitor oil spills, carry medical supplies through the air, and grow regulatory backing. As of January 1, 2021, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency will have uniformed drone legislation throughout its member states. Further, the Germany Drone Camera market held the largest market share, and the UK Drone Camera market was the fastest-growing market in the European region

The Asia-Pacific Drone Camera Market is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR from 2022 to 2030. This results from an increase in high-value funding from the military and defense sector and an increase in research and development (R&D) initiatives for cutting-edge drones used by the military for security and surveillance. as well as the quick digitalization, particularly in rural areas.  Moreover, China Drone Camera market held the largest market share, and the India Drone Camera market was the fastest-growing market in the Asia-Pacific region

For instance, India Drone Camera market is expected to grow with the fastest-growing CAGR in the Asia Pacific region. Due to increased safety concerns across borders and in disputed areas, as well as the usage of drones to deliver goods and medications to remote locations, countries in the Asia-Pacific region have adopted drone technology. The market for drone cameras is seeing increased demand due to the growing use of drones in various sectors, including manufacturing, construction, real estate, insurance, and tourism. Commercial drones are additionally employed in disaster management scenarios to access vulnerable locations, organize rescue operations, document the state of the crisis, and for several other purposes.

Drone Camera Key Market Players & Competitive Insights

The Drone Camera industry is anticipated to develop in the following years due to major market players investing in new products. Businesses in the industry are also launching new products, signing agreements, increasing investments, and collaborating with other businesses as part of their market developments to broaden their global presence.

The market leaders in the global Drone Camera industry are offering their products at a reduced price by reducing their operating costs by manufacturing in regional manufacturing bases. The Drone Camera market major player such as Sony Corporation (Japan), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), GoPro Inc. (US), Canon Inc. (Japan), FLIR Systems Inc. (US), and others are working on expanding the market demand by investing in research and development activities.

Sony Group Corporation is an international conglomerate company with its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Being a significant player in the technology industry, it serves as one of the biggest consumer and business electronics producers, the most significant console maker, and the biggest publisher of video games. With Sony Entertainment, it is one of the giant music corporations (largest music publisher and second-largest record label) and one of the most prominent media organizations, thanks to its third-largest film studio. It is Japan's most prominent media and technology company. With net cash reserves of 2 trillion yen, it is also acknowledged as the most cash-rich Japanese business.

With its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, Canon Inc. is a multinational company specializing in optical, image, and industrial items like lenses, cameras, medical equipment, scanners, printers, and machinery for producing semiconductors. Canon is a component of the TOPIX Core 30 and Nikkei 225 indices and has its top listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is also listed on the New York Stock Exchange secondarily. It created the Kwanon in 1934 as a prototype for the first 35 mm camera with a focal-plane-based shutter made in Japan. The business was renamed Canon Camera Co., Inc. in 1947, which was later abbreviated to Canon Inc. in 1969.

Key Companies in the Drone Camera market include

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  Sony Corporation (Japan)

  
  


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  Panasonic Corporation (Japan)

  
  


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  GoPro Inc. (US)

  
  


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  Canon Inc. (Japan)

  
  


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  FLIR Systems Inc. (US), among others

  
  

Drone Camera Industry Developments

Jul 2023: DJI, a leading global drone tech provider, launched its latest drone DJI Air 3. The semi-flagship drone stands out with its dual camera that can offer more powerful photo and video capabilities than its predecessor, Air 2s. DJI Air 3 has a dual 4K camera system featuring a wide-angle lens with a 24mm equivalent focal length & an f/1.7 aperture and a medium telephoto lens with a 70mm equivalent focal length & an f/2.8 aperture. These lenses are 1/1.3-inch in size and support dual native ISO.

Jul 2023: SimActive Inc., a leading global developer of photogrammetry software, announced new pricing for larger drone cameras, Correlator3D software. Larger drone cameras of up to 61 megapixels are now covered under the low-priced UAV license option, previously capped at 50MP. The new pricing addresses the rising demand for bigger drone sensors, such as the Sony A7R IV.

Apr 2023: DJI launched the world's first drone with three optical cameras, the Mavic 3 Pro, following the success of the Mavic 3. The DJI Mavic 3 Pro gives creators, filmmakers, and drone pilots worldwide the much-desired creative flexibility. The world’s first triple optical camera drone offers advanced imaging capabilities, featuring a Hasselblad camera and dual telephoto lenses.

Apr 2023: DJI, a leading drone maker, launched a new high-end professional cinema camera drone named Inspire 3 in Shenzhen. Inspire 3 is a cinema camera drone with a Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera, and it will be available by the end of June this year. The Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera offers an 8K video recording and imaging system. The Inspire 3 is an updated version of DJI's cinematic drone series, launched in late 2014 and was refreshed with the Inspire 2 in 2016, offering a 5K camera.

April 2022: Ronin 4D, a DJI cinematography camera, was released by Drone Nerds, a developer of drone technology and solutions for businesses and consumers. Solo cinematographers have a complete and flexible cinematography solution thanks to Ronin 4D's integrated and modular architecture. Ronin 4D blends cinematic images with LiDAR focusing for rapid and straightforward filming. The Ronin 4D's LiDAR Waveform feature offers quick manual focusing, making it possible to record accurately even in dimly lit environments.

April 2022: Now, a new "Grade 10" productivity improvement option is available for Canon Inc.'s FPA-6300ES6a KrF semiconductor lithography equipment.

Jan 2022: KDDI (Japan), a leading telecommunication operator, announced its partnership with a commercial drone manufacturer, PRODRONE, and underwater robotics provider QYSEA Technology to create the first revolutionary sea-to-air drone. 

The new drone is the result of six years of development that features a combination of a heavy-duty aerial drone and an industrial-class underwater remote-operated vehicle (ROV). This first commercial drone, capable of operating seamlessly through land, sea, and air, is equipped with a 12-megapixel 4K camera. The sea-air integrated drone will have far-reaching applications across various marine-based industries.

Drone Camera Market Segmentation:

Drone Camera Resolution Outlook (USD Billion, 2019-2030)

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  12 MP

  
  


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  12 to 20 MP

  
  


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  20 to 32 MP

  
  


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  32 MP & Above

  
  

Drone Camera Application Outlook (USD Billion, 2019-2030)

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  Photography & Videography

  
  


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  Thermal Imaging

  
  


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  Surveillance

  
  

Drone Camera Type Outlook (USD Billion, 2019-2030)

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  SD Camera

  
  


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  HD Camera

  
  

Drone Camera End User Outlook (USD Billion, 2019-2030)

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  Commercial

  
  


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  Military

  
  

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  Homeland security

  
  

Drone Camera Regional Outlook

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  North America

  
  

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  US

  
  


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  Canada

  
  

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  Europe

  
  

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  Germany

  
  


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  France

  
  


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  UK

  
  


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  Italy

  
  


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  Spain

  
  


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  Rest of Europe

  
  

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  Asia-Pacific

  
  

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  China

  
  


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  Japan

  
  


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  India

  
  


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  Australia

  
  


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  South Korea

  
  


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  Australia

  
  


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  Rest of Asia-Pacific

  
  

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  Rest of the World

  
  

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  Middle East

  
  


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  Africa

  
  


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  Latin America