UAV Navigation Systems Market Size
| Study Period | 2019 - 2029 |
| Market Size (2024) | USD 9.73 Billion |
| Market Size (2029) | USD 20.41 Billion |
| CAGR (2024 - 2029) | 15.97 % |
| Fastest Growing Market | North America |
| Largest Market | North America |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
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UAV Navigation Systems Market Analysis
The UAV Navigation Systems Market size is estimated at USD 9.73 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 20.41 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 15.97% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
The increasing proliferation of UAVs in both civil and military applications is the main growth driver for the market. The production of UAVs is one of the fastest growing and dynamically developing sectors of the world industry, equally attractive for both government and commercial investments. A significant part of the developed and developing countries of the world already formed the necessary institutional and legal framework. It also announced national programs aimed at increasing the share of UAV usage for civil and military purposes.
Advancements in electronic warfare necessitated the adoption of autonomous capabilities in drones, which, in turn, is propelling technological developments in the market. The use of electronic warfare techniques is growing, so a reliable flight control solution ready to face new-generation attacks has become vitally important. UAV companies anticipated the evolution of end-users and are investing in R&D for different features and testing to create a robust system ready to work in hard environments. Miniaturization of electronics played a key role in the development of advanced navigation and guidance systems without adding much overall weight to the UAVs.
UAV Navigation Systems Market Trends
Military Segment to Dominate Market Share During the Forecast Period
In terms of application, the military segment holds a higher market share in the UAV navigation systems market compared to the civil and commercial segments. The proliferation of UAVs in the military sector is due to their enhanced capabilities in providing situational awareness to ground troops.
Compared to the civil and commercial segment, the UAVs in the military require better maneuvering capabilities with precision navigation and guidance, as they need to perform complicated tactical missions. It is the main reason for the high cost of the navigation systems in military UAVs.
Also, the increased autonomous capabilities of the UAVs in the military are demanding complex system-level architecture of the navigation systems, thereby increasing their market revenues and supporting the growth of the segment. For instance, in May 2023, I-CONIC Vision, together with Spacemetric, won a contract on autonomous navigation independent of GNSS within the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration's military innovation program. The project aims to investigate different methods for GNSS-free navigation by drones over longer distances.
North America to Dominate Market Share During the Forecast Period
UAVs are increasingly being used in North America for various applications, including aerial photography, border security, law enforcement, weather research, emergency response, forest fire monitoring, scientific data collection, logistics and last-mile delivery, and traffic monitoring and control. For instance, in January 2021, Black Swift Technologies LLC (BST) was awarded a contract by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It is to develop commercially viable technology to enable GPS-denied navigation of UAVs during flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Black Swift Technologies LLC aims to provide this service through a robust, secondary navigation option using their diverse-source global positioning system (DS-GPS).
However, the military segment remains the biggest demand generator for UAVs in North America, as the US military procures and operates a large number of UAVs every year. With the increasing UAV usage, the demand for UAV subsystems like navigation systems is increasing in the region. It, coupled with the presence of a large number of UAV manufacturers in the region, is the main reason for the high market share of North America in the UAV navigation systems market.
For instance, in May 2023, Asio Technologies (Israel) completed several demonstrations successfully of its NavGuard optical navigation system to strategic customers in the United States. The demonstrations, conducted in response to defense and civil customer requests, involved a rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It is to perform aerial navigation activities as well as automatic point-to-point deliveries of packages over urban and rural areas without relying on GNSS signals.
UAV Navigation Systems Industry Overview
The UAV navigation systems market is semi-consolidated and is marked by the presence of companies such as Hexagon AB, SBG Systems, SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd., Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation), and UAV Navigation S.L., among others.
As the products in the market range from small GPS systems of a small drone to the complete navigation system of the class 5 UAV, a large diversity of the products means that there will be a lot of small to big players in the market. However, there are very few acclaimed players in the market providing complete navigation and guidance systems to the major UAV manufacturers, whose revenues comprise a large percentage of the market share.
Technological innovations will help the players to gather new contracts, especially with the military customers who dominate the customer base. For military customers, advanced navigation and guidance capabilities are necessary, as they give the armed forces a competitive edge on the battlefield. Hence, defense forces are willing to trade huge amounts for innovative products in the market, which is an opportunity for growth for the players.
For instance, in September 2022, UAV Navigation released its new Visual Navigation System (VNS). The compact and lightweight device, which is provided as an optional peripheral to the main Flight Control System (FCS), enables the safe and efficient navigation of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in GNSS-denied environments.
UAV Navigation Systems Market Leaders
Hexagon AB
SBG Systems
UAV Navigation S.L.
SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd.
Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation)
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
UAV Navigation Systems Market News
- August 2023: Elbit Systems was awarded a contract of USD 55 million to supply multi-layered ReDrone Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) to the Netherlands. The ReDrone Solution is made up of Elbit Systems' advanced DAiR Radar, signal intelligence (SIGINT) sensors, and COAPS-L electro-optical (EO) payload.
- July 2023: The US Air Force AFWERX Prime awarded Darkhive a USD 5 million Phase III Small Business Innovation Research contract. It is to integrate and test next-generation autonomy software to a variety of UAS platforms.
UAV Navigation Systems Market Report - Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study Assumptions
1.2 Scope of the Study
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4. MARKET DYNAMICS
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
4.3 Market Restraints
4.4 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis
4.4.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers
4.4.3 Threat of New Entrants
4.4.4 Threat of Substitute Products
4.4.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
5. MARKET SEGMENTATION
5.1 UAV Type
5.1.1 Autonomous UAVs
5.1.2 Semi-Autonomous UAVs
5.1.3 Remotely (Human) Operated UAVs
5.2 Application
5.2.1 Civil and Commercial
5.2.2 Military
5.3 Geography
5.3.1 North America
5.3.1.1 United States
5.3.1.2 Canada
5.3.2 Europe
5.3.2.1 United Kingdom
5.3.2.2 Germany
5.3.2.3 France
5.3.2.4 Italy
5.3.2.5 Russia
5.3.2.6 Rest of Europe
5.3.3 Asia-Pacific
5.3.3.1 China
5.3.3.2 India
5.3.3.3 Japan
5.3.3.4 South Korea
5.3.3.5 Australia
5.3.3.6 Rest of Asia-Pacific
5.3.4 Latin America
5.3.4.1 Brazil
5.3.4.2 Mexico
5.3.4.3 Rest of Latin America
5.3.5 Middle East and Africa
5.3.5.1 Saudi Arabia
5.3.5.2 United Arab Emirates
5.3.5.3 Egypt
5.3.5.4 South Africa
5.3.5.5 Rest of Middle East and Africa
6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
6.1 Vendor Market Share
6.2 Company Profiles
6.2.1 Hexagon AB
6.2.2 SBG Systems
6.2.3 UAV Navigation S.L.
6.2.4 SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd.
6.2.5 Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation)
6.2.6 AeroVironment, Inc.
6.2.7 Honeywell International Inc.
6.2.8 BAE Systems plc
6.2.9 Cobham Limited
6.2.10 L3 Harris Technologies, Inc.
6.2.11 Elbit Systems Ltd.
6.2.12 Leica Geosystems AG
6.2.13 Parrot Drone SAS
6.2.14 Trimble Inc.
7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS
UAV Navigation Systems Industry Segmentation
The navigation systems in the UAV enable the controlling of flight parameters like the geographical position and the altitude of the UAV. It is done with the help of flight management systems and embedded data link systems. Advanced UAVs use GPS/GNSS receivers to allow for smarter navigation features, like position hold, return-to-home navigation, and autonomous flight. The market study covers the following aspects of the UAV Navigation Systems.
The UAV navigation systems market is segmented by UAV type, application, and geography. By UAV type into autonomous UAVs, semi-autonomous UAVs, and remotely (human) operated UAVs. By application, the market is segmented into civil, commercial, and military. The report also covers the market sizes and forecasts for the UAV navigation systems market in major countries across different regions. For each segment, the market size is provided in terms of value (USD).
| UAV Type | |
| Autonomous UAVs | |
| Semi-Autonomous UAVs | |
| Remotely (Human) Operated UAVs |
| Application | |
| Civil and Commercial | |
| Military |
| Geography | ||||||||
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UAV Navigation Systems Market Research FAQs
How big is the UAV Navigation Systems Market?
The UAV Navigation Systems Market size is expected to reach USD 9.73 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 15.97% to reach USD 20.41 billion by 2029.
What is the current UAV Navigation Systems Market size?
In 2024, the UAV Navigation Systems Market size is expected to reach USD 9.73 billion.
Who are the key players in UAV Navigation Systems Market?
Hexagon AB, SBG Systems, UAV Navigation S.L., SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. and Collins Aerospace (RTX Corporation) are the major companies operating in the UAV Navigation Systems Market.
Which is the fastest growing region in UAV Navigation Systems Market?
North America is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2024-2029).
Which region has the biggest share in UAV Navigation Systems Market?
In 2024, the North America accounts for the largest market share in UAV Navigation Systems Market.
What years does this UAV Navigation Systems Market cover, and what was the market size in 2023?
In 2023, the UAV Navigation Systems Market size was estimated at USD 8.18 billion. The report covers the UAV Navigation Systems Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The report also forecasts the UAV Navigation Systems Market size for years: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.
UAV Navigation Systems Industry Report
Statistics for the 2024 UAV Navigation Systems market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligenceā¢ Industry Reports. UAV Navigation Systems analysis includes a market forecast outlook 2029 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
