Small versus large drone companies? Specialization or generalization? China or American drone companies? There’s a lot of questions up in the air for drone businesses in 2025. But already, we have some key indicators of where things are headed.
The folks over at German-based drone consulting firm Drone Industry Insights (DII) just released their Global Drone Review 2024. This year’s version of the annual report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the drone market today, honing in on the most important types of operations and the key players behind them. Here are the most critical takeaways from this year’s review:
5 trends to expect across drone businesses in 2025
1. Small teams dominate the drone sector
Sure, there are some big names in the drone industry (I’m looking at you, DJI). But especially when it comes to companies that actually fly drones, the commercial drone market remains dominated by small enterprises. According to DII’s Global Drone Review 2024, 55% of companies operate with fewer than 10 employees.
And yes, actually flying drones as a service is the most common type of drone company. Perhaps that’s because hardware companies like DJI do dominate the market and have made it tough for smaller companies to break into manufacturing fields. But as it stands, drone service providers make up 74% of all drone companies, followed by hardware manufacturers (18%) and software developers (7%).
2. Asia leads global drone deployment
As a whole, the world logged 10.83 million flight hours in 2024, which is a 29% increase versus 2023. Some regions fly way more flight hours, though, than others.
With 19.5 million drone flights in 2024 according to DII’s data, Asia continues to dominate drone operations. That’s even more flights than recorded last year. When broken down by actual hours, Asia logged about 3.8 million flight hours.
But what other places should you have your sights on? Emerging markets in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) are catching up, with the highest proportion of advanced BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights.
South America also stands out because, while it doesn’t actually have that many drone flights relative to other regions, the rate of drone flights is growing at a rapid pace. BVLOS flights are up 62% versus last year, and BVLOS flights are up 41% versus last year.
Related read: How a Trump presidency could reshape the drone industry: regulation, innovation, and the China question
3. China still rules drone manufacturing
Asia leads in drone flights, and China specifically leads in actually making drones.
Despite calls from certain politicians to ban Chinese drones, it’s still the case that Chinese manufacturers — led by DJI — continue to dominate commercial drone production. Just last week, DJI revealed its new DJI Flip drone, just another in an onslaught of new products coming out of DJI in the past few months including the DJI Air 3S and DJI Neo.
DJI escaped concerning efforts to ban its products from the U.S. when the final FY25 NDAA bill published — and the Countering CCP Drones Act was notably left out. That act would have effectively banned DJI drones by adding DJI to a list of companies deemed threats to national security.
Still though, debate over the role of Chinese drone makers like DJI and Autel in the U.S. market is far from over. Lawmakers have indicated that they want to revisit the issue in future legislation, and federal agencies could implement additional guidelines or restrictions independently of Congress.
For example, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) recently issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) in early January, suggesting that the group is going to make some rules around drone supply chains. And whatever they come up with it potentially will not be favorable to Chinese drone makers.
Related read: Drones in 2025: what to expect, challenges and opportunities for the industry ahead
4. Mapping and surveying reign supreme
Mapping and surveying applications remain the top commercial drone use cases, capturing 29% of business services and 35% of service provider operations. Meanwhile, inspection services have seen remarkable growth, and new industries like industrial filming and specialized applications are gaining traction.
Whether mapping or some other type of drone service, companies have benefited from regulatory progress. Sure, approval times and still be length and complicated, but more companies are getting approval to fly missions that aren’t outright approved across the board, such as — in many countries — flying drones beyond visual line of sight. In fact, 65% of service providers are now equipped for advanced missions. That’s enabled the industry to evolve toward sophisticated mission capabilities and specialized services, such as BVLOS operations and niche industrial applications.
5. Optimism is climbing across drone businesses in 2025
Sure, we’re grappling with inflation and a tough job market, but at least drone industry players say they’re optimistic. According to DII’s survey, the industry confidence index climbed to 6.8 out of 10 this year.
Interestingly, manufacturers lead at an all-time high of 7.5. Evolving regulations and anti-Chinese drone policies in countries like the U.S. could shift the competitive landscape.
And there are all sorts of reasons to be optimistic. The area of “Drones for Good” is proving strong, with experts predicting that the number of DFR programs (those are Drones for First Response) set to double in 2025. Products like the DJI Matrice 4 Series, which launched in early 2025, have made those programs increasingly accessible. CES 2025 showed us all kinds of nifty new tech, and we’re seeing strong progress in areas like drone delivery.
For the full report and deeper insights, check out the Global Drone Review 2024 by Drone Industry Insights.
What trends are you most excited about across drone businesses in 2025? Let me know in the comments!
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