Airborne Surveillance Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Integration of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and IoT: Drones and other industry innovations are receiving more attention from a variety of sectors for use in surveillance activities. The drone product line has improved due to technological developments in cameras, microcontrollers, sensors, CPUs, etc. The businesses are creating integrated measurement and annotation tools with volume, area, and distance calculations. The IoT, AI, and machine learning enable the UAVs to store and process vast amounts of data. Because AI-powered surveillance systems can identify airborne activities more accurately than traditional aerial surveillance systems, there will likely be an increasing demand for the integration of IoT and AI-powered surveillance systems.
• Increased usage of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in military: Using their real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, military drones collect data regarding combat operations. Increased UAV purchases to improve defense capabilities are anticipated to support the growth of the airborne surveillance industry. Furthermore, because there is a growing need for sophisticated intelligence collection and analysis capabilities, the growing defense budget is anticipated to support airborne surveillance market expansion. For instance, the Canadian government granted a contract for USD 72 million to General Dynamics Mission Systems and Voyager Aviation Corporation in May 2021 for the in-service support and maintenance of the three King Air 350ER aircraft. To enhance situational awareness, the aircraft will be equipped with sophisticated sensors and other military-grade hardware. It is anticipated that the three aircraft would be delivered to the Canadian government by 2022.
• Accessible low-cost drones: Fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft are used in traditional aerial surveillance techniques. These are expensive and time-consuming procedures. Drones are affordable and require less time to operate than conventional types of aircraft. Because drones are inexpensive and provide effective results, there has been an increase in their use for surveillance purposes. Drone production costs have also dropped as a result of the manufacturing sector's fast industrialization and automation. As a result, drones are widely accessible and reasonably priced, which is anticipated to support airborne surveillance market expansion.

Challenges

• High expense associated with airborne surveillance system deployment: Aerial surveillance equipment includes cameras, radars, sensors, and other parts. The sophisticated sensors can deliver precise data. However, due to their intricate design, the sensors are costly to develop. As the components are subjected to harsh climatic conditions, the design is intricate and therefore more expensive. The extraordinary investigative capabilities of Light Detecting and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors have led to their widespread adoption. Nevertheless, the sensors' development is expensive.
• Scarce supply of expert drone operators: Drones must be operated by qualified and experienced drone pilots to scan offshore and onshore structures, hence the industry is anticipated to grow slowly due to a lack of these pilots. Federal policies and regulations in the United States stipulate that drone operators need to possess a certified long-range pilot certificate that has been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Furthermore, stringent government laws governing drone use are anticipated to impede airborne surveillance market expansion.