Product Code: SR112025A6837
The global solar-powered UAV market size reached USD 401.0 Million in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 867.3 Million by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% during 2025-2033. The increasing demand for drone services for various commercial applications and extensive research and development (R&D) activities are primarily driving the market growth.
Solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) refers to high-altitude pseudo-satellites or drones specially designed to receive power directly from the sun for performing continuous stratospheric operations for a longer duration. It can be operated autonomously without any human intervention even from a remote location by utilizing limitless propulsion systems. It further comprises a range of solar-powered cells that are unified with the vehicle to capture solar energy during the day and generate and recharge the battery on board to provide power in nighttime flights. As compared to traditional UAVs, it offers better stability, higher flight altitude, larger coverage area, and superior load capacity. Along with this, it provides environmental protection, improves employee safety, monitors ecological damages, and minimizes the need for human transportation procedures. As a result, the solar-powered UAV finds extensive application in the surveillance and rescue operations, pollution monitoring, disaster management, attack missions, and intelligence-gathering operations.
Solar-Powered UAV Market Trends:
The increasing demand for drone services for various commercial applications, including resource exploration and climate monitoring, represents a prime factor driving the market growth. In line with this, significant improvements in the military and defense sector and the recent development of UAV drones for asset management and performing dangerous battlefield surveillance operations are acting as another growth-inducing factor. This is further supported by the favorable investments being made by the governments of different nations to enhance their military capabilities. Additionally, the extensive usage of solar-powered UAVs in the agricultural sector over traditional surveying methodologies to analyze crop growth, climatic conditions, spray fertilizers, and track soil conditions is favoring the market growth. Solar-powered UAVs are further employed to assess the ecological damage and active risks, perform weather forecasting, and minimize the adverse effects of potential danger in the mining industry to improve workers safety, which is supporting the market growth. Moreover, the escalating usage of photovoltaic (PV) cells and hybrid-electric propulsion engines to improve the vessel performance at lower maintenance costs is propelling the market growth. Apart from this, significant technological advancements, such as the integration of image-transmitting systems and strategic collaborations amongst key players, are positively impacting the market growth.
Key Market Segmentation:
Type Insights:
- Fixed Wing Drones
- Multirotor Drones
- Quadcopter Drones
- The report has also provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the solar-powered UAV market based on the type. This includes fixed wing, multirotor, and quadcopter drones. According to the report, fixed wing drones represented the largest segment.
Range Insights:
- Less Than 300 KM
- More Than 300 KM
Component Insights:
- Propulsion System
- Airframe
- Guidance Navigation
- Control System
- Payload
- The report has also provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the solar-powered UAV market based on the component. This includes propulsion system, airframe, guidance navigation, control system and payload.
Mode of Operation Insights:
- Semi-Autonomous
- Autonomous
Application Insights:
- Defense
- Commercial
- The report has also provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the solar-powered UAV market based on the application. This includes defense and commercial. According to the report, defense represented the largest segment.
Regional Insights:
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Asia Pacific
- China
- Japan
- India
- South Korea
- Australia
- Indonesia
- Others
- Europe
- Germany
- France
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Spain
- Russia
- Others
- Latin America
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Others
- Middle East and Africa
- The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets that include North America (the United States and Canada); Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and others); Europe (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, and others); Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and others); and the Middle East and Africa. According to the report, North America was the largest market for solar-powered UAVs. Some of the factors driving the North America solar-powered UAV market included the widespread product application in the defense and military sectors, extensive research and development (R&D) activities, and the rising utilization in the agricultural industry.
Competitive Landscape:
- The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape in the global solar-powered UAV market. Detailed profiles of all major companies have also been provided. Some of the companies covered include BAE Systems Plc, Barnard Microsystems Ltd, Eos Technologie, Sunlight Aerospace, UAV Instruments S.L, Xsun, etc.
Key Questions Answered in This Report
- 1. How big is the global solar-powered UAV industry market?
- 2. What is the expected growth rate of the global solar-powered UAV market during 2025-2033?
- 3. What are the key factors driving the global solar-powered UAV market?
- 4. What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global solar-powered UAV market?
- 5. What is the breakup of the global solar-powered UAV market based on the type?
- 6. What is the breakup of the global solar-powered UAV market based on the range?
- 7. What is the breakup of the global solar-powered UAV market based on the mode of operation?
- 8. What is the breakup of the global solar-powered UAV market based on the application?
- 9. What are the key regions in the global solar-powered UAV market?
- 10. Who are the key players/companies in the global solar-powered UAV market?
Table of Contents
1 Preface
2 Scope and Methodology
- 2.1 Objectives of the Study
- 2.2 Stakeholders
- 2.3 Data Sources
- 2.3.1 Primary Sources
- 2.3.2 Secondary Sources
- 2.4 Market Estimation
- 2.4.1 Bottom-Up Approach
- 2.4.2 Top-Down Approach
- 2.5 Forecasting Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Introduction
- 4.1 Overview
- 4.2 Key Industry Trends
5 Global Solar-powered UAV Market
- 5.1 Market Overview
- 5.2 Market Performance
- 5.3 Impact of COVID-19
- 5.4 Market Forecast
6 Market Breakup by Type
- 6.1 Fixed Wing Drones
- 6.1.1 Market Trends
- 6.1.2 Market Forecast
- 6.2 Multirotor Drones
- 6.2.1 Market Trends
- 6.2.2 Market Forecast
- 6.3 Quadcopter Drones
- 6.3.1 Market Trends
- 6.3.2 Market Forecast
7 Market Breakup by Range
- 7.1 Less Than 300 KM
- 7.1.1 Market Trends
- 7.1.2 Market Forecast
- 7.2 More Than 300 KM
- 7.2.1 Market Trends
- 7.2.2 Market Forecast
8 Market Breakup by Component
- 8.1 Propulsion System
- 8.1.1 Market Trends
- 8.1.2 Market Forecast
- 8.2 Airframe
- 8.2.1 Market Trends
- 8.2.2 Market Forecast
- 8.3 Guidance Navigation
- 8.3.1 Market Trends
- 8.3.2 Market Forecast
- 8.4 Control System
- 8.4.1 Market Trends
- 8.4.2 Market Forecast
- 8.5 Payload
- 8.5.1 Market Trends
- 8.5.2 Market Forecast
9 Market Breakup by Mode of Operation
- 9.1 Semi-Autonomous
- 9.1.1 Market Trends
- 9.1.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2 Autonomous
- 9.2.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.2 Market Forecast
10 Market Breakup by Application
- 10.1 Defense
- 10.1.1 Market Trends
- 10.1.2 Market Forecast
- 10.2 Commercial
- 10.2.1 Market Trends
- 10.2.2 Market Forecast
11 Market Breakup by Region
- 11.1 North America
- 11.1.1 United States
- 11.1.1.1 Market Trends
- 11.1.1.2 Market Forecast
- 11.1.2 Canada
- 11.1.2.1 Market Trends
- 11.1.2.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2 Asia-Pacific
- 11.2.1 China
- 11.2.1.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.1.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2.2 Japan
- 11.2.2.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.2.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2.3 India
- 11.2.3.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.3.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2.4 South Korea
- 11.2.4.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.4.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2.5 Australia
- 11.2.5.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.5.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2.6 Indonesia
- 11.2.6.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.6.2 Market Forecast
- 11.2.7 Others
- 11.2.7.1 Market Trends
- 11.2.7.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3 Europe
- 11.3.1 Germany
- 11.3.1.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.1.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3.2 France
- 11.3.2.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.2.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3.3 United Kingdom
- 11.3.3.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.3.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3.4 Italy
- 11.3.4.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.4.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3.5 Spain
- 11.3.5.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.5.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3.6 Russia
- 11.3.6.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.6.2 Market Forecast
- 11.3.7 Others
- 11.3.7.1 Market Trends
- 11.3.7.2 Market Forecast
- 11.4 Latin America
- 11.4.1 Brazil
- 11.4.1.1 Market Trends
- 11.4.1.2 Market Forecast
- 11.4.2 Mexico
- 11.4.2.1 Market Trends
- 11.4.2.2 Market Forecast
- 11.4.3 Others
- 11.4.3.1 Market Trends
- 11.4.3.2 Market Forecast
- 11.5 Middle East and Africa
- 11.5.1 Market Trends
- 11.5.2 Market Breakup by Country
- 11.5.3 Market Forecast
12 Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities
- 12.1 Overview
- 12.2 Drivers
- 12.3 Restraints
- 12.4 Opportunities
13 Value Chain Analysis
14 Porters Five Forces Analysis
- 14.1 Overview
- 14.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
- 14.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
- 14.4 Degree of Competition
- 14.5 Threat of New Entrants
- 14.6 Threat of Substitutes
15 Price Analysis
16 Competitive Landscape
- 16.1 Market Structure
- 16.2 Key Players
- 16.3 Profiles of Key Players
- 16.3.1 BAE Systems Plc
- 16.3.1.1 Company Overview
- 16.3.1.2 Product Portfolio
- 16.3.1.3 Financials
- 16.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis
- 16.3.2 Barnard Microsystems Ltd
- 16.3.2.1 Company Overview
- 16.3.2.2 Product Portfolio
- 16.3.3 Eos Technologie
- 16.3.3.1 Company Overview
- 16.3.3.2 Product Portfolio
- 16.3.4 Sunlight Aerospace
- 16.3.4.1 Company Overview
- 16.3.4.2 Product Portfolio
- 16.3.5 UAV Instruments S.L
- 16.3.5.1 Company Overview
- 16.3.5.2 Product Portfolio
- 16.3.6 Xsun
- 16.3.6.1 Company Overview
- 16.3.6.2 Product Portfolio
Kindly note that this only represents a partial list of companies, and the complete list has been provided in the report.