The drone camera market is expected to grow from USD 10.232 billion in 2025 to USD 21.032 billion in 2030, at a CAGR of 15.50%.
A drone camera is a device that is mounted inside a drone and is used to record videos or take images while the drone is in flight. Drone cameras are employed for a variety of activities, including product and food delivery, area surveillance, and thermal imaging. Because of the rising usage of drones in various industries, there is a greater demand for high-resolution cameras capable of collecting high-quality photographs from a wider angle and mounted on drones. Furthermore, an increase in the defense budget has allowed governments from numerous countries to enter into agreements with drone and component makers.
The drone market has grown significantly in recent years as a result of the adoption of high-resolution 4k cameras and advanced sensor systems. As a result, industry leaders have expanded their product portfolios even further. For example, the DJI Mini 3 Pro was announced in May 2022 as the latest addition to DJI's Mini Drones collection. The new camera drone is lightweight and compact, weighing less than 249 grams. The video recording capabilities of the DJI Mini 3 Pro have been enhanced to up to 60 frames per second with 4K HD recordings. The drone includes a 1/1.3-inch CMOS camera sensor with an aperture of f/1.7 and can capture photographs of up to 48 megapixels. For improved vertical shooting, the camera may be rotated 90 degrees. As a result, continual innovation and the availability of technologically advanced items with 4K resolution are expected to drive market growth.
The surveillance segment will have the fastest revenue growth rate. The use of drone cameras for surveillance and mapping benefits from the high-resolution aerial images such cameras can offer. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professionals can develop maps, charts, and visualizations that can be used to investigate spatial linkages and learn how to best solve local concerns. For instance, Phase One, a leading developer of digital imaging technology, announced a commercial relationship with Remote Vision GmbH, a Herisau, Switzerland-based producer of bespoke unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, in January 2022. The dynamic range of the Phase One iXM 100MP and 50MP cameras ensures clear image gathering in high-contrast or low-light conditions. The range of lens options means that even at safe distances from the object, enormous surface areas can be photographed with millimetre-level detail. The redesigned gimbal with an integrated laser rangefinder guarantees precise and rapid focusing on every shot, eliminating fuzzy and out-of-focus photographs and allowing for greater coverage of major objects in fewer images and shorter missions.
During the forecast period, the defense sector is likely to have the greatest share of the drone camera market. A military drone is a specialized unmanned drone that is used for defense. These drones are designed to fly beyond the range of human visibility to perform thermal scanning over a certain area. Military drone cameras are becoming more popular as a result of increased defense budgets in various countries. For example, more than 250 "portable" and "packable" micro drones will be deployed to the Armed Forces following the award of a £129 million contract to Lockheed Martin UK in December 2022. Drones will have high-resolution imaging capabilities that will allow them to find and identify prospective targets.
Drone camera manufacturers in Europe provide a wide range of use cases, including mapping, aerial photography, surveillance, data collection, and video and photographic recording. Various companies in the region are working together to employ drones equipped with 3D image cameras for the aforementioned activities. For example, in April 2021, Ericsson teamed with Vodafone UK to speed up network upgrades using drone inspections. Ericsson worked with Vodafone UK to test the use of drones and LiDAR-based 3D technology to speed up network design and site enhancements. In the experiments, drones equipped with a high-definition (HD) camera and Lidar technology were used to collect data from network locations, which was then used by network engineering teams to make site improvements.
Drones are widely used in emergency management circumstances around the Asia Pacific, such as planning rescue operations, documenting the status of the situation, and reaching critical locations. Countries in the Asia Pacific have extensively adopted drone cameras for surveillance purposes, ensuring safety while facilitating lawful trade and transit along country borders and contentious areas. For instance, J&K Police announced in September 2022 that they deployed drones equipped with high-resolution cameras to maintain 24-hour monitoring across Srinagar city. Jammu Kashmir Police has begun utilizing these high-tech drones to keep a close eye on anti-social elements and terror operations in Srinagar. Furthermore, the expansion of the media and entertainment industries is expected to accelerate the expansion of the drone camera market in the future.
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