Aircraft Autopilot System Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The Aircraft Autopilot System Market is Segmented by System (Attitude and Heading Reference Systems, Flight Director Systems, Flight Control Computers, and More), Aircraft Type (Narrowbody, Widebody, Business Jets, and More), End-User (OEM Fitment and Retrofit) and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and More). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Aircraft Autopilot System Market Size and Share

Aircraft Autopilot System Market (2025 - 2030)
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Compare market size and growth of Aircraft Autopilot System Market with other markets in Aerospace & Defense Industry

Aircraft Autopilot System Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The aircraft autopilot system market is valued at USD 5.82 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach a market size of USD 7.81 billion by 2030, registering a 6.06% CAGR over 2025-2030. This trajectory reflects the sector’s pivot toward higher levels of cockpit automation as regulators, airlines, and defense agencies prepare for single-pilot commercial operations and wider unmanned flight adoption. Sustained recovery in commercial aviation, large order backlogs, and avionics modernization programs collectively reinforce demand, while artificial-intelligence-driven contingency management solutions unlock new platform opportunities. Leaders focus on software-defined architectures that extend system life cycles and enable over-the-air feature upgrades. Supply chain constraints in inertial sensors and rising cybersecurity compliance costs remain near-term pressure points. Yet, resilient capital spending by North American and Asia-Pacific operators keeps the aircraft autopilot system market on an expansion path.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By system, flight control computers held 36.55% of the aircraft autopilot system market share in 2024, whereas autopilot software suites are advancing at a 9.45% CAGR through 2030.
  • By aircraft type, Narrow-body Jets led with 40.92% revenue share in 2024, while unmanned aerial vehicles are projected to expand at a 7.65% CAGR to 2030.
  • By end-user, OEM fitment accounted for 53.45% of the aircraft autopilot system market in 2024; retrofit/aftermarket is the fastest-growing channel, with a 7.23% CAGR.
  • By geography, North America commanded 43.35% share of the aircraft autopilot system market size in 2024, whereas Asia-Pacific is progressing at an 8.12% CAGR through 2030.

Segment Analysis

By System: Software-Defined Architecture Gains Momentum

Flight Control Computers retained 36.55% of the aircraft autopilot system market share in 2024 because every commercial transport class aircraft mandates triple-redundant processing for pitch, roll, yaw, and speed commands. Conversely, Autopilot Software Suites are expanding at a 9.45% CAGR as operators shift toward cloud-updateable logic bundles that overlay predictive algorithms on existing hardware. Thales’s PureFlyt platform illustrates this pivot by optimizing real-time trajectories for fuel and noise benefits.[3]Thales Group, “PureFlyt FMS Technical Sheet,” thalesgroup.com The aircraft autopilot system market size for software-centric solutions is projected to reach USD 2.1 billion by 2030, mirroring broader aerospace digitalization. Hardware components like servo actuators and attitude sensors remain essential, yet margins migrate to proprietary code, differentiating approach, go-around, and emergency modes. Vendors invest in DevSecOps pipelines that shorten certification cycles and permit rapid deployment of AI functions, reinforcing the competitive importance of software road maps.

The second paragraph of analysis underscores the modularity trend. Airlines prefer line-replaceable units that isolate processing from I/O boards, allowing capability upgrades without deep mechanical changes. Open-architecture standards such as FACE in defense aviation and ARINC 653 in civil transport encourage cross-vendor interoperability, expanding addressable volume for niche software developers. As a result, new entrants leverage subscription-based licensing models, while established integrators bundle software warranties with extended service agreements. These shifts foster a layered ecosystem where the aircraft autopilot system market accommodates both tier-one primes and agile code specialists.

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Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Aircraft Type: UAVs Disrupt Traditional Hierarchies

Narrowbody Jets captured 40.92% of the aircraft autopilot system market size in 2024 on the strength of the A320neo and B737-8 production ramps that each embed autopilots as part of an integrated flight deck. Wide-bodies are recovering in tandem with long-haul traffic but remain below pre-2020 delivery levels. The disruptive force comes from UAVs, whose 7.65% CAGR through 2030 reflects procurement of MALE drones and burgeoning urban air mobility prototypes. UAV autopilots differ in weight, power, and certification path, yet they still rely on tightly coupled inertial and GNSS sensors. Sky-Drones Technologies has adopted 5G links and AI classifiers to navigate contested airspace, broadening its appeal among logistics operators.[4]Sky-Drones Technologies, “AIRLink Enterprise Autopilot,” sky-drones.com

Rotorcraft autopilot integration gains momentum following Garmin’s three-axis system for the Airbus H130, which stabilizes hover and cruise modes. Business jet buyers specify auto-throttle and auto-brake functions once reserved for airliners, compressing feature differentiation across aircraft classes. Overall, the aircraft autopilot system market finds new growth lanes as unmanned cargo and passenger concepts mature, challenging legacy suppliers to design lighter, standards-agnostic controllers that still meet transport-category reliability metrics.

By End-User: Retrofit Market Accelerates

OEM Fitment continues to dominate with a 53.45% share in 2024 because every airframe leaves the factory with a baseline autopilot certified for that type certificate. However, airlines and fractional owners are ramping retrofit campaigns that drive a 7.23% CAGR in aftermarket demand. The FAA’s Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment (NORSEE) pathway streamlines approvals for digital autopilots, enabling Garmin’s GFC 600 installations across piston and turboprop fleets.[5]Garmin Ltd., “GFC 600 Autopilot Expands Approvals,” garmin.com This policy shift elevates the aircraft autopilot system market size for retrofits to USD 2.4 billion by 2030. The aging A320ceo and B737-NG aircraft are prime targets for flight director and auto-throttle updates that align with the required navigation performance-authorization required (RNP-AR) routes.

MRO providers partner with avionics OEMs on power-by-the-hour contracts that bundle spares, software updates, and predictive diagnostics. Such models appeal to operators seeking fixed-cost predictability. Emerging leasing pools for autopilot line-replaceable units further reduce downtime during heavy checks. Consequently, the aircraft autopilot system market benefits from a virtuous cycle where retrofit activity extends airframe service life, and extended service life, in turn, demands incremental capability updates.

Aircraft Autopilot System Market: Market Share by End-User
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Geography Analysis

North America led the aircraft autopilot system market with 43.35% revenue share in 2024, supported by robust defense budgets and a quick rebound in domestic air travel. The FAA’s automation and cybersecurity regulation leadership makes the United States an early adopter of advanced autopilot features, reinforcing domestic procurement. Canada’s regional-jet fleet modernization and Mexico’s narrow-body expansion contribute incrementally. High utilization rates accelerate replacement cycles for flight control computers, locking in baseline demand. Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, and Garmin all maintain substantial production and engineering centers in the region, ensuring close alignment with customer requirements.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing territory, advancing at an 8.12% CAGR through 2030. Middle-class air-travel adoption and defense modernization programs centrally drive China and India. Airbus forecasts the global fleet will double to 50,000 aircraft by 2044, with Asia-Pacific supplying most of that increment.[6]Economic Times, “Airbus Expects Global Fleet to Double by 2044,” economictimes.indiatimes.com Domestic OEMs such as COMAC integrate locally developed autopilot subsystems, while regional airlines launch large retrofit contracts to meet performance-based navigation mandates. Japan and South Korea invest in autonomous UAM ecosystems, exemplified by Thales’s unmanned traffic management testbed in Thailand. Varied certification regimes create customization overhead and foster partnerships between global primes and local system houses, widening the aircraft autopilot system market footprint.

Europe remains a mature yet innovation-centric market. EASA’s acceptance of Garmin Autoland on King Air platforms underscores regulatory openness to high-authority automation. Thales, Safran, and BAE Systems supply integrated autopilot and flight management packages across Airbus and Eurofighter programs. The European Defense Fund channels resources into AI-enhanced resilience features, such as the AIDA project that shields avionics buses from cyber intrusions. Middle East and Africa, while smaller in volume, register steady procurement from Gulf carriers and defense agencies upgrading transport and rotary fleets. Barrier factors include uneven economic conditions and regulatory capacity, yet the region still adds incremental value to the aircraft autopilot system market as wide-body utilization rebounds.

Aircraft Autopilot System Market CAGR (%), Growth Rate by Region
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Competitive Landscape

The market remains moderately consolidated, with the top five vendors holding roughly 65% collective revenue, anchored by Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, Safran, Thales, and Garmin. These leaders bundle hardware, software, and lifecycle support into end-to-end offerings that lock in long contracts. Honeywell’s strategic agreement with Bombardier, valued up to USD 17 billion across its term, exemplifies the scale of integrated avionics capture. Collins Aerospace leverages its Pro Line Fusion architecture across business and regional jets, while Safran capitalizes on dual-use capabilities that span commercial liners and combat aircraft.

Second-tier competitors differentiate via niche technologies. Moog supplies high-lift and primary actuation packages for the V-280 Valor Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft, accentuating its strength in electromechanical controls. Avidyne and Dynon Avionics target general aviation with affordable IFR-capable autopilots, using modularity to grow into light-turbine classes. Start-ups like Sky-Drones Technologies and UAV Navigation pursue the UAV and eVTOL segment where weight, cost, and algorithmic sophistication rank higher than traditional certification pedigree. Software-only disruptors license stabilized code that overlays existing flight control computers, broadening competitive intensity within the aircraft autopilot system market.

Strategic alliances and acquisitions accelerate the closure of capability gaps. Honeywell’s planned spin-off of Honeywell Aerospace intends to sharpen focus on autonomy and electrified propulsion by 2026. Regal Rexnord’s collaboration with Honeywell in eVTOL actuation and Curtiss-Wright’s joint cockpit voice recorder line demonstrate convergent interest in urban air mobility systems. These maneuvers aim to secure early mover status in new-generation platforms, thereby amplifying long-run share positions.

Aircraft Autopilot System Industry Leaders

  1. Honeywell International Inc.

  2. Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation)

  3. Garmin Ltd.

  4. Thales Group

  5. Safran SA

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Aircraft Autopilot System Market Concentration
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Recent Industry Developments

  • May 2025: Vertical Aerospace and Honeywell expanded their VX4 eVTOL partnership, targeting certification of flight-critical systems to 1 × 10⁻⁹ catastrophic failure probabilities.
  • March 2025: Garmin received EASA approval for Autoland and Autothrottle retrofits on Beechcraft King Air aircraft.
  • October 2024: Airbus is developing a new 3-axis autopilot system for the H130 helicopter in collaboration with Garmin. The system will be available in the market in 2025.
  • September 2024: Boeing awarded MicroPilot a contract to develop software enhancements for small, unmanned aircraft systems. The contract, signed under the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy, establishes an Investment Framework Agreement between Boeing and MicroPilot, a leading developer of UAV autopilots.

Table of Contents for Aircraft Autopilot System Industry Report

1. INTRODUCTION

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET LANDSCAPE

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Rising commercial aircraft deliveries
    • 4.2.2 Growing demand for advanced flight automation
    • 4.2.3 Fleet-wide avionics modernization programs
    • 4.2.4 Expansion of UAV and UAM operations
    • 4.2.5 AI-enabled contingency-management autopilots
    • 4.2.6 Move toward single-pilot commercial ops
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 High certification and compliance costs
    • 4.3.2 Cyber-security vulnerabilities in flight-control links
    • 4.3.3 Shortage of DO-178C qualified engineers
    • 4.3.4 Supply-chain bottlenecks in MEMS/IMUs
  • 4.4 Value Chain Analysis
  • 4.5 Regulatory Landscape
  • 4.6 Technological Outlook
  • 4.7 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
    • 4.7.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
    • 4.7.3 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.7.4 Threat of Substitutes
    • 4.7.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5. MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH FORECASTS (VALUE)

  • 5.1 By System
    • 5.1.1 Attitude and Heading Reference Systems
    • 5.1.2 Flight Director Systems
    • 5.1.3 Flight Control Computers
    • 5.1.4 Autothrottle and Thrust Management
    • 5.1.5 Air-data and Inertial Reference Units
    • 5.1.6 Servo Actuators
    • 5.1.7 Autopilot Software Suites
  • 5.2 By Aircraft Type
    • 5.2.1 Narrowbody Jets
    • 5.2.2 Widebody Jets
    • 5.2.3 Regional and Commuter Aircraft
    • 5.2.4 Business Jets
    • 5.2.5 Helicopters
    • 5.2.6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
    • 5.2.7 Urban Air Mobility/eVTOL
  • 5.3 By End-User
    • 5.3.1 OEM Fitment
    • 5.3.2 Retrofit/Aftermarket
  • 5.4 By Geography
    • 5.4.1 North America
    • 5.4.1.1 United States
    • 5.4.1.2 Canada
    • 5.4.1.3 Mexico
    • 5.4.2 Europe
    • 5.4.2.1 United Kingdom
    • 5.4.2.2 Germany
    • 5.4.2.3 France
    • 5.4.2.4 Italy
    • 5.4.2.5 Russia
    • 5.4.2.6 Rest of Europe
    • 5.4.3 Asia-Pacific
    • 5.4.3.1 China
    • 5.4.3.2 Japan
    • 5.4.3.3 India
    • 5.4.3.4 South Korea
    • 5.4.3.5 Australia
    • 5.4.3.6 Rest of Asia-Pacific
    • 5.4.4 South America
    • 5.4.4.1 Brazil
    • 5.4.4.2 Rest of South America
    • 5.4.5 Middle East and Africa
    • 5.4.5.1 Middle East
    • 5.4.5.1.1 United Arab Emirates
    • 5.4.5.1.2 Saudi Arabia
    • 5.4.5.1.3 Rest of Middle East
    • 5.4.5.2 Africa
    • 5.4.5.2.1 South Africa
    • 5.4.5.2.2 Rest of Africa

6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Strategic Moves
  • 6.3 Market Share Analysis
  • 6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for key companies, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)
    • 6.4.1 BAE Systems plc
    • 6.4.2 Safran SA
    • 6.4.3 Honeywell International Inc.
    • 6.4.4 Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation)
    • 6.4.5 Garmin Ltd.
    • 6.4.6 Thales Group
    • 6.4.7 Moog Inc.
    • 6.4.8 Avidyne Corporation
    • 6.4.9 Dynon Avionics
    • 6.4.10 Genesys Aerosystems (Moog, Inc.)
    • 6.4.11 Lockheed Martin Corporation
    • 6.4.12 L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
    • 6.4.13 MicroPilot Inc.
    • 6.4.14 UAV Navigation S.L. (Grupo Oesia SL)
    • 6.4.15 Teledyne Technologies Incorporated

7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

  • 7.1 White-space and Unmet-Need Assessment
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Global Aircraft Autopilot System Market Report Scope

An autopilot system is used to automate guiding and controlling the aircraft. A typical autopilot system can automate multiple tasks, such as attitude and altitude maintenance, rate of climb and descent, and course interception and guidance. To provide a comprehensive outlook, the aircraft autopilot system market encompasses companies offering autopilot and flight director software and hardware components. Market estimates are based on line-fit installations of autopilot systems in the cockpit of new-generation aircraft being procured by airline operators worldwide and do not include retrofitting old-generation aircraft. Furthermore, the report does not consider unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) but considers rotorcraft and experimental demonstrators, such as NASA X-57.

The aircraft autopilot system market is segmented by system, application, and geography. The aircraft autopilot system market is segmented by the system into attitude and heading reference systems, flight director systems, flight control systems, and avionics systems. By application, the market is segmented into civil, commercial, and military. By geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

The market sizing and forecasts for all the segments have been provided in value (USD).

By System Attitude and Heading Reference Systems
Flight Director Systems
Flight Control Computers
Autothrottle and Thrust Management
Air-data and Inertial Reference Units
Servo Actuators
Autopilot Software Suites
By Aircraft Type Narrowbody Jets
Widebody Jets
Regional and Commuter Aircraft
Business Jets
Helicopters
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Urban Air Mobility/eVTOL
By End-User OEM Fitment
Retrofit/Aftermarket
By Geography North America United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe United Kingdom
Germany
France
Italy
Russia
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
India
South Korea
Australia
Rest of Asia-Pacific
South America Brazil
Rest of South America
Middle East and Africa Middle East United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Rest of Middle East
Africa South Africa
Rest of Africa
By System
Attitude and Heading Reference Systems
Flight Director Systems
Flight Control Computers
Autothrottle and Thrust Management
Air-data and Inertial Reference Units
Servo Actuators
Autopilot Software Suites
By Aircraft Type
Narrowbody Jets
Widebody Jets
Regional and Commuter Aircraft
Business Jets
Helicopters
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Urban Air Mobility/eVTOL
By End-User
OEM Fitment
Retrofit/Aftermarket
By Geography
North America United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe United Kingdom
Germany
France
Italy
Russia
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
India
South Korea
Australia
Rest of Asia-Pacific
South America Brazil
Rest of South America
Middle East and Africa Middle East United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Rest of Middle East
Africa South Africa
Rest of Africa
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Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the current value of the aircraft autopilot system market?

The aircraft autopilot system market stands at USD 5.82 billion in 2025, with a projected value of USD 7.81 billion by 2030.

Which region holds the largest aircraft autopilot system market share?

North America leads with 43.35% share in 2024, driven by strong defense spending and an early adoption climate for advanced automation.

Which system segment is growing the fastest?

Autopilot Software Suites are expanding at a 9.45% CAGR through 2030 as airlines transition to software-defined avionics architectures.

How quickly is the retrofit market growing?

Retrofit and aftermarket applications are increasing at a 7.23% CAGR as operators modernize in-service fleets with digital autopilots.

What is the biggest restraint to market growth?

High certification and compliance costs reduce speed to market for new entrants and add USD 5 to 15 million to program budgets.

Why are unmanned aerial vehicles important to this market?

UAVs post a 7.65% CAGR because defense and emerging urban air mobility operators require lightweight, AI-ready autopilot solutions.

Aircraft Autopilot System Market Report Snapshots