Flight Navigation System Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The Flight Navigation System Market Report is Segmented by Communication Technology (Radio, Satellite, Hybrid), Platform (Civil and Commercial Aviation, and More), Flight Instrument (Autopilot, Altimeter, Gyroscope, and More), System Type (Radars, Instrument Landing Systems, and More), Component (Hardware and Software), and Geography (North America, Europe, and More). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Flight Navigation System Market Size and Share

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Compare market size and growth of Flight Navigation System Market with other markets in Aerospace & Defense Industry

Flight Navigation System Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The flight navigation system market is valued at USD 22.98 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach the market size of USD 31.68 billion by 2030, expanding at a 6.63% CAGR. The current growth momentum reflects rising aircraft deliveries, mandatory NextGen and SESAR upgrades, and rapid adoption of AI-enabled sensor fusion across flight decks. Demand also benefits from expanding urban-air-mobility corridors, where centimeter-level positioning and low-latency data links are critical. Meanwhile, multi-layered redundancy architectures combining satellite-based augmentation, inertial sensors, and terrestrial aids lower fuel burn and increase airspace capacity. These advantages help offset mounting cybersecurity and spectrum-interference risks accompanying higher system complexity.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By communication technology, radio communication led with 39.45% revenue share in 2024, while hybrid GNSS-SBAS solutions are forecastGrowing demand for UAV and long-range UAS navigation reliabilityGrowing demand for UAV and long-range UAS navigation reliabilityGrowing demand for UAV and long-range UAS navigation reliabilityGrowing demand for UAV and long-range UAS navigation reliability to grow at 8.95% CAGR to 2030.
  • By platform, civil and commercial aviation accounted for 41.25% of the flight navigation system market share in 2024, whereas military aviation is advancing at a 9.23% CAGR through 2030.
  • By flight instrument, autopilot systems held a 29.21% share of the flight navigation system market in 2024, and gyroscope instruments are expanding fastest at a 10.12% CAGR.
  • By system type, radar systems contributed a 31.51% share in 2024, while collision avoidance systems posted the highest CAGR of 6.53% to 2030.
  • By component, hardware dominated with a 39.41% share in 2024, but software solutions are registering a 7.27% CAGR as cloud-native architectures gain traction.
  • By geography, North America retained a 35.65% share in 2024, yet Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at an 8.12% CAGR, reflecting fleet expansion in China and India.

Segment Analysis

By Communication Technology: Hybrid Architectures Gain Momentum

Radio links maintained 39.45% of 2024 revenue owing to entrenched VHF infrastructure and worldwide regulatory mandates. Yet hybrid GNSS-SBAS solutions are set to outpace all other technologies with an 8.95% CAGR, illustrating the industry swing toward precision approaches and oceanic coverage without ground aids. The flight navigation system market size for hybrid solutions is projected to grow faster than any other communication category, supported by satellite operators launching dedicated ADS-B constellations that feed real-time traffic data to crews.

Satellite communication gains relevance on polar and trans-oceanic tracks, while software-defined radios allow dynamic frequency selection to mitigate interference. The combination of space-based receivers and ground networks equips airlines with resilient links that underpin future four-dimensional trajectory management exercises. Thales’ 100-satellite ADS-B program typifies this migration toward integrated surveillance and communications, reducing hardware counts and certification costs through common avionics modules.

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

By Platform: Military Modernization Accelerates Orders

Civil and commercial fleets controlled 41.25% of the flight navigation system market share in 2024, reinforced by replacing aging narrow-body aircraft and the rebound of passenger demand. Militaries drive the highest spending velocity with a 9.23% CAGR as nations pursue sovereign navigation capacity immune to foreign GNSS signals. These programs frequently bundle electronic-warfare filters, redundant inertial sensors, and AI-assisted mission planning in the same cockpit server to cut wiring and weight.

The Global Combat Air Programme’s sixth-generation fighter concept demonstrates that sensor fusion and adaptive navigation will underpin future air superiority platforms.[4]Army Recognition, “Global Combat Air Programme Advances Sixth-Generation Fighter,” armyrecognition.com At the same time, eVTOL air-taxis, categorized under urban-air-mobility, begin to specify certified antennas and multi-frequency receivers designed for low-altitude corridors. This demand for diversity sustains backlog for platform-agnostic avionics suites that can be repackaged across fighters, freighters, and flying taxis with minimal requalification.

By Flight Instrument: Gyroscopes Lead Next-Wave Innovation

Autopilot computers held the largest instrument share at 29.21% in 2024, reflecting their indispensable role in managing long-haul workloads. Gyroscope instruments register the sharpest climb at 10.12% CAGR through 2030 as MEMS refinement and quantum sensing unlock centimeter-level drift characteristics. The resulting performance permits zero-fail cockpits to sustain navigation precision during prolonged GNSS outages, a feature crucial for military and trans-polar flights.

Optical gyros from Anello Photonics achieved 0.1% error over 100 kilometers in field trials, underscoring the pace of improvement. Advances in sensor fusion algorithms further reduce position uncertainty by blending gyro, accelerometer, air-data, and celestial cues inside a common Kalman filter, bolstering resilience against spoofing attacks. These developments power the flight navigation system market by enabling lower-cost inertial reference units suited to small UAVs and eVTOLs.

By System Type: Surveillance and Safety Converge

Radar systems retained a 31.51% share in 2024 because civilian and defense operators depend on them for weather and terrain awareness. Yet collision-avoidance suites grew at a 6.53% CAGR as ICAO implemented enhanced surveillance mandates supported by space-based ADS-B broadcasts. The flight navigation system market size for collision-avoidance hardware and software is forecast to expand steadily as autonomous aircraft require machine-speed conflict resolution.

Simultaneously, inertial navigation remains a core capability for operators flying in GPS-denied areas. At the same time, instrument landing systems (ILS) survive thanks to regulatory insistence on dual-path redundancy during low-visibility approaches. Suppliers, therefore, bundle weather radar, traffic collision avoidance, and precision landing modules into integrated racks that cut lifecycle overhead.

Flight Navigation System Market: Market Share by System Type
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Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Component: Software Transforms Value Creation

Hardware accounted for 39.41% revenue in 2024, anchored by cockpit display units, antennas, and inertial sensors. Software represents the faster-moving frontier, rising at 7.27% CAGR on the back of cloud-native flight planning, predictive maintenance dashboards, and AI copilots. The flight navigation system industry increasingly views over-the-air updates as the key to life-cycle economics; Garmin’s SmartCharts and FlightPath3D’s “Luci” exemplify user-interface innovations that drive subscription revenue.

Edge-cloud synchronization allows crews to receive real-time weather layers and optimized routing mid-flight, while ground engineers monitor health metrics streamed from each line-replaceable unit. This architecture reduces unscheduled maintenance and supports faster certification of minor function releases, strengthening supplier aftermarket ties.

Geography Analysis

North America kept its leadership with a 35.65% share in 2024, underpinned by steady NextGen funding, strong business-jet production, and the FAA’s proactive rulemaking on powered-lift aircraft. Area navigation route additions such as Q-143 and T-467 show that en-route efficiency upgrades persist even as passenger numbers rebound. The region’s wide adoption of over-the-air software updates positions it as a proving ground for cloud-based navigation analytics that feed directly into dispatch-center algorithms.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing arena at 8.12% CAGR to 2030. China and India dominate orderbooks for narrow-body jets, while regional governments allocate capital toward satellite-based augmentation and unmanned-traffic-management frameworks. Thales’ new MRO facility in Delhi-NCR and its UTM roadmap agreement with Thai authorities illustrate a supplier pivot toward local engineering hubs that can cut time-to-certification for indigenous carriers. These moves accelerate the adoption of hybrid GNSS-SBAS receivers across new single-aisle fleets.

Europe registers solid gains as SESAR-driven PBN procedures proliferate and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency finalizes comprehensive VTOL regulations that set navigation performance baselines for urban air-mobility. The EGNOS service life extension to 2028 safeguards low-visibility operations for more than 400 airports, sustaining demand for SBAS-capable flight-management computers and precision approach displays.[5]European Union Aviation Safety Agency, “Special Condition for VTOL-Category Aircraft,” easa.europa.eu Sustainability priorities push airlines to adopt trajectory prediction tools that enable continuous-descent arrivals, reinforcing the role of predictive analytics within cockpit servers.

Flight Navigation System Market CAGR (%), Growth Rate by Region
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Competitive Landscape

The flight navigation system market is moderately consolidated. Aerospace majors leverage deep certification know-how and long customer relationships to protect installed bases, while selectively divesting non-core assets. Boeing’s USD 10.55 billion sale of Jeppesen and ForeFlight to Thoma Bravo has refocused the airframer on hardware while creating a pure-play digital-aviation platform for rapid subscription growth. Competing bidders such as Honeywell, GE, and RTX Corporation highlighted the strategic importance of flight-planning databases in next-generation cockpits.

New entrants differentiate through quantum sensing, optical gyros, and AI copilots. VIAVI Solutions’ USD 50 million purchase of Inertial Labs expands its inertial sensor lineup for both crewed and uncrewed platforms, mirroring the trend toward vertically integrated motion-sensing portfolios. Meanwhile, Thales Group, Garmin, and Honeywell race to supply multi-frequency antennas and open-architecture flight decks to eVTOL developers, anticipating urban-mobility certification within the decade.

Competitive intensity also manifests in collaborative space-based surveillance ventures. Thales, Spire Global, and ESSP are building a 100-satellite ADS-B service that promises globe-spanning traffic coverage by 2027. Access to such data feeds improves collision-avoidance algorithms and creates premium airline analytics services. Suppliers that pair hardware, data subscriptions, and predictive-maintenance dashboards stand to capture larger lifetime value across fleets that now average 20-plus-year service spans.

Flight Navigation System Industry Leaders

  1. Honeywell International Inc.

  2. RTX Corporation

  3. Thales Group

  4. Garmin Ltd.

  5. Northrop Grumman Corporation

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

  • June 2025: Garmin unveiled the G5000 PRIME integrated flight deck, enhancing situational awareness with synthetic vision and predictive taxi guidance.
  • May 2025: Garmin introduced SmartCharts, delivering interactive charting with real-time data overlays to reduce pilot workload.
  • August 2024: Thales became the sole supplier of navigation and communication antennas for Lilium’s eVTOL jet program.
  • June 2024: Thales, Spire Global, and ESSP began building a satellite surveillance service that would use 100 satellites to collect global ADS-B messages.

Table of Contents for Flight Navigation 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 Satellite-based augmentation (SBAS) and NextGen/SESAR mandates
    • 4.2.2 Rising global commercial aircraft fleet
    • 4.2.3 Shift to performance-based navigation (PBN) standards
    • 4.2.4 Growing demand for UAV and long-range UAS navigation reliability
    • 4.2.5 Urban-air-mobility corridor integration needs
    • 4.2.6 AI-driven sensor-fusion redundancy for zero-fail cockpits
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 High upgrade and certification costs
    • 4.3.2 Cyber-jamming and spoofing vulnerabilities
    • 4.3.3 5G spectrum re-allocation crowding navigation bands
    • 4.3.4 Rare-earth magnet shortages for MEMS gyros
  • 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 Buyers/Consumers
    • 4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.7.3 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.7.4 Threat of Substitute Products
    • 4.7.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5. MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH FORECASTS

  • 5.1 By Communication Technology
    • 5.1.1 Radio
    • 5.1.2 Satellite
    • 5.1.3 Hybrid (GNSS+SBAS)
  • 5.2 By Platform
    • 5.2.1 Civil and Commercial Aviation
    • 5.2.2 Business and General Aviation
    • 5.2.3 Military Aviation
    • 5.2.4 UAV/eVTOL
  • 5.3 By Flight Instrument
    • 5.3.1 Autopilot
    • 5.3.2 Altimeter
    • 5.3.3 Gyroscope
    • 5.3.4 Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS)
    • 5.3.5 Sensors (IMU, Air-data, etc.)
    • 5.3.6 Magnetic Compass
  • 5.4 By System Type
    • 5.4.1 Radars
    • 5.4.2 Instrument Landing Systems (ILS)
    • 5.4.3 Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)
    • 5.4.4 Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS)
    • 5.4.5 GNSS/VOR-DME
    • 5.4.6 Other Systems
  • 5.5 By Component
    • 5.5.1 Hardware
    • 5.5.2 Software
  • 5.6 By Geography
    • 5.6.1 North America
    • 5.6.1.1 United States
    • 5.6.1.2 Canada
    • 5.6.1.3 Mexico
    • 5.6.2 Europe
    • 5.6.2.1 United Kingdom
    • 5.6.2.2 Germany
    • 5.6.2.3 France
    • 5.6.2.4 Rest of Europe
    • 5.6.3 Asia-Pacific
    • 5.6.3.1 China
    • 5.6.3.2 Japan
    • 5.6.3.3 India
    • 5.6.3.4 South Korea
    • 5.6.3.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific
    • 5.6.4 South America
    • 5.6.4.1 Brazil
    • 5.6.4.2 Argentina
    • 5.6.4.3 Rest of South America
    • 5.6.5 Middle East and Africa
    • 5.6.5.1 Middle East
    • 5.6.5.1.1 Saudi Arabia
    • 5.6.5.1.2 UAE
    • 5.6.5.1.3 Turkey
    • 5.6.5.1.4 Rest of Middle East
    • 5.6.5.2 Africa
    • 5.6.5.2.1 South Africa
    • 5.6.5.2.2 Rest of Africa

6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Strategic Moves and Developments
  • 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, Products and Services, Recent Developments)
    • 6.4.1 Honeywell International Inc.
    • 6.4.2 Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation)
    • 6.4.3 Thales Group
    • 6.4.4 Garmin Ltd.
    • 6.4.5 Northrop Grumman Corporation
    • 6.4.6 Safran SA
    • 6.4.7 L3Harris Technologies Inc.
    • 6.4.8 BAE Systems plc
    • 6.4.9 General Electric Company
    • 6.4.10 Universal Avionics Systems Corporation (Elbit Systems Ltd.)
    • 6.4.11 Leonardo S.p.A
    • 6.4.12 Moog Inc.
    • 6.4.13 Avidyne Corporation
    • 6.4.14 Saab AB
    • 6.4.15 The Boeing Company

7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

  • 7.1 White-space and Unmet-need Assessment
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Global Flight Navigation System Market Report Scope

Flight navigation systems pinpoint an aircraft's precise location, aiding pilots in adhering to designated routes. Our market study delves into the diverse flight navigation systems employed across military, commercial, and general aviation. It encompasses all avionics components and systems crucial for navigation and communication, ensuring aircraft can relay their positions effectively to ground stations and other airborne craft.

The flight navigation system market is segmented by communication type, application, flight instrument, systems, and geography. By communication type, the market is segmented into radio and satellite. By application, the market is segmented into civil & commercial aviation and military aviation. By flight instrument, the market is segmented into autopilot, altimeter, gyroscope, sensors, and magnetic compass. By systems, the market is segmented into radars, instrument landing systems, inertial navigation systems, collision avoidance systems, VOR/DME, and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). The report also covers the market sizes and forecasts for the flight navigation system market in major countries across different regions. For each segment, the market size is provided in terms of value (USD).

By Communication Technology Radio
Satellite
Hybrid (GNSS+SBAS)
By Platform Civil and Commercial Aviation
Business and General Aviation
Military Aviation
UAV/eVTOL
By Flight Instrument Autopilot
Altimeter
Gyroscope
Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS)
Sensors (IMU, Air-data, etc.)
Magnetic Compass
By System Type Radars
Instrument Landing Systems (ILS)
Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)
Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS)
GNSS/VOR-DME
Other Systems
By Component Hardware
Software
By Geography North America United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe United Kingdom
Germany
France
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
India
South Korea
Rest of Asia-Pacific
South America Brazil
Argentina
Rest of South America
Middle East and Africa Middle East Saudi Arabia
UAE
Turkey
Rest of Middle East
Africa South Africa
Rest of Africa
By Communication Technology
Radio
Satellite
Hybrid (GNSS+SBAS)
By Platform
Civil and Commercial Aviation
Business and General Aviation
Military Aviation
UAV/eVTOL
By Flight Instrument
Autopilot
Altimeter
Gyroscope
Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS)
Sensors (IMU, Air-data, etc.)
Magnetic Compass
By System Type
Radars
Instrument Landing Systems (ILS)
Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)
Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS)
GNSS/VOR-DME
Other Systems
By Component
Hardware
Software
By Geography
North America United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe United Kingdom
Germany
France
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
India
South Korea
Rest of Asia-Pacific
South America Brazil
Argentina
Rest of South America
Middle East and Africa Middle East Saudi Arabia
UAE
Turkey
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 flight navigation system market?

The market is valued at USD 22.98 billion in 2025.

How fast is the flight navigation system market expected to grow?

It is forecasted to expand at a 6.63% CAGR, reaching USD 31.68 billion by 2030.

Which communication technology holds the largest share?

Radio communication leads with a 39.45% share, though hybrid GNSS-SBAS solutions are growing faster.

Why is Asia-Pacific the fastest-growing region?

Fleet expansion in China and India and major investments in air-traffic modernization drive the region’s 8.12% CAGR.

How will 5G networks impact flight navigation?

C-band 5G deployments can interfere with radar altimeters, pushing airlines to upgrade equipment and regulators to issue operating constraints.

What technological trend is most disruptive to future navigation systems?

Quantum-enhanced gyroscopes and AI-driven sensor fusion promise GPS-independent accuracy and zero-fail cockpit architectures.

Flight Navigation System Market Report Snapshots