FN Media Group Editorial Team
The global military drone market is an active market around the world. Recent reports show that the growth is predicted to continue through 2030.
A report by Grand View Research states that the degree of innovation in the market is high, driven by continuous advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), sensor technologies, and autonomous systems, which are significantly enhancing the capabilities of military drones.
Furthermore, the ongoing development of swarm technologies and counter-drone measures highlights the dynamic and cutting-edge nature of this market, as militaries worldwide invest heavily in R&D to maintain strategic and technological superiority.
The level of mergers and acquisitions in the market is high which, according to the Grand View Research report, is primarily “due to the strategic need for companies to enhance their technological capabilities and expand their product portfolios to remain competitive. Larger defense contractors are actively acquiring innovative startups and specialized firms to gain access to cutting-edge drone technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing processes.
“The market has an elevated level of end user concentration. This is due to the primary users of military drones, that being national defense and security agencies, which constitute a relatively small and specialized customer base. These agencies often have significant purchasing power and specific requirements, leading to a concentrated market where a few key customers dominate demand. In addition, the high costs and complex procurement processes associated with military drones further limit the number of end users, reinforcing the high concentration in this market.”
Active Companies in the market today include AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), and ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), to name but a few.
The article concluded by stating, “The military drone market in the U.S. is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 12% from 2024 to 2030. Due to the country’s commitment to advancing its defense capabilities and integrating cutting-edge technologies into its military operations, the U.S. military’s substantial investment in research and development, coupled with its focus on enhancing operational efficiency and maintaining technological superiority, drives high demand for sophisticated unmanned systems. The military drone market in the European region is anticipated to register a CAGR of around 12% from 2024 to 2030 owing to the region’s commitment to enhancing its defense capabilities and addressing emerging security threats through advanced technologies. The collaborative defense initiatives, such as joint European defense programs and NATO partnerships, alongside growing defense budgets and a focus on technological innovation, are key factors contributing to the strong growth of the market in Europe.”
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Drone Info Updates
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ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) has signed a lease to open a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone testing facility in Turkey. The facility will serve as a product testing site for its subsidiary ZenaDrone’s ZenaDrone 1000 model drones designed for the U.S. Defense Branches and NATO. The testing facility will be fully set up and operational during the first quarter of 2025.
“Having a testing facility in Turkey will accelerate the development of our U.S. Defense and NATO models of the ZenaDrone 1000. Importantly it will help to advance our AI drone swarm solutions and the Drone Command Center hub at the heart of missions. Turkey is a favorable European location for experimental drone testing and known for its defense industry innovation and we are grateful to be collaborating there,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.
The company will test defense drone applications including ISRT (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting), logistics and transportation, and other applications over wide distances beyond an operator’s line of sight. The company will also design and test its Drone Command Center, a mobile room that manages the computers, controls, and communications for multiple drones flying at one time, which it intends to file a patent for in the first quarter of 2025. The site is expected to help provide additional testing and readiness for future U.S. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) licensing applications.
A drone command center is a centralized facility or mobile room used to monitor, control, and manage the operations of multiple drones or AI drone swarms in real-time. It acts as the operational hub where drone missions are planned, executed, and monitored, ensuring that drones are collecting data and performing their tasks safely, efficiently, and within regulatory guidelines.
Photo of the ZenaDrone 1000,
courtesy of the company.
A drone swarm is a group of autonomous drones that work together, coordinated by algorithms, to perform tasks with dramatically improved speed, efficiency, and coverage. ZenaTech previously announced the Sky Traffic project where ZenaDrone teams will be working on applications for drone swarms, also using Quantum Computing, which will include border control and perimeter security military applications.
ZenaDrone previously completed paid trials with both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Naval Research using its drones for carrying critical cargo—such as blood—in the field. ZenaDrone plans to manufacture and assemble its U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) drones in Phoenix, Arizona.
The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous drone, in a quadcopter design with eight rotors, and is considered a medium-sized drone, roughly the size of a boardroom table. It is designed for stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities, incorporating innovative software technology, AI, sensors, and purpose-built attachments, along with compact and rugged hardware engineered for industrial and defense use.
Drone as a Responder (DAAR) initiative.
ZenaDrone solutions for the U.S. military must be NDAA (National Defense Administration Act) compliant, a requirement with strict drone cybersecurity and country of origin specifications, including chipsets, cameras, and components, which excludes a set list of Chinese manufacturers. The company previously announced that its supply chain is NDAA-compliant.
The company has also previously announced that it plans to apply for Green UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) followed by Blue UAS certification. The Blue UAS program is a stringent government-approved supplier list of drone companies that wish to do business with the U.S. DoD. The Green UAS program is essentially the same as the Blue UAS program, only it is a more streamlined and faster certification process without the country of origin specifications.
Other recent developments in the market include...
AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment chairman, president and chief executive officer, recently said, “Key wins from our Loitering Munition Systems segment continue to drive growth for the company. We expect our proposed acquisition of BlueHalo to further advance our growth opportunities with a highly complementary portfolio of products, customers and capabilities in key defense space and intelligence sectors and establish AeroVironment as the next generation defense technology company for our customers. We look forward to continued momentum beyond fiscal year 2025.”
Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI) Airborne Response has launched their new “Drone as a Responder” (DaaR) service that provides turn-key operational support for law enforcement, public safety and other first responders, assisting them to use advanced, U.S. Government approved, Blue-UAS drone technologies for rapid incident response and assessment.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) has been awarded a $6.5 million, single award contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to provide flight testing for hypersonic research supporting future weapon systems. The two-year contract which began in August 2023 includes flight tests to develop, characterize, and validate critical hypersonic components for technology maturation and risk reduction.
The contract was awarded by the DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO) and supports the company’s mission of creating the next generation of scientific discoveries and fueling innovation by leaning forward to expand the art of the possible. During program execution, Kratos is leveraging flight proven, affordable hypersonic test beds and sounding rocket-based launch vehicles to fulfill various flight experiment requirements and validate modeling and simulation (M&S) tools rapidly and affordably for future hypersonic flight testing.
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