Global Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV Market Analysis by Application, Propulsion, Mode of Operation, Endurance, Range, Region and segments forecast till 2033

Market Overview

The fixed-wing VTOL UAV Market is valued at USD 842 million in 2022 and is projected to reach a value of USD 4,627 million in 2033 expanding at a CAGR of 23.7% over the forecast period of 2022-2033.

Report Scope

Fixed-wing drones are airplane-like in structure. These are mostly designed for the professional market. They use a wing that provides a lift rather than vertical-lift rotors. This design is also meant that they can fly forward more efficiently than multicomputer and also they increase greatly with their endurance. This is the main reason that they are particularly good at mid-and large-scale drone survey missions and also mapping long corridors that includes, roads, railway tracks, pipelines, and rivers. However, these flying wing drones need a large, relatively soft landing space, free of hurdles, such as rocks, gravel, trees, buildings, etc. Also, for take-off, some of them even require a catapult.

The fixed-wing VTOL UAV market has made significant growth because of the rising adoption of technologically advanced runway less which was unmanned aerial military platforms by defense forces. Also, the growth of the market is because of the ongoing military modernization programs in various regions that too in the form of procurement of new systems and also the upgrades of the existing ones.

Additionally, the rising adoption of these devices can be used in various commercial applications, including monitoring, surveying, and mapping, product delivery which is contributing to the market growth over the forecast year. One of the major factors that have fueled the growth of the market is large-scale use in civil and commercial applications. It includes photography, greenhouse emission monitoring, wildlife research, and preservation. They are also used in agriculture, real estate, mining, and the oil and gas industry.

Also the rising use of Fixed-wing VTOL UAVs in civil and commercial applications because of their superior endurance and also low operating costs has resulted in increased production. This has boosted the market growth over the forecast period. Personnel operating fixed-wing VTOL UAVs do need to ensure the reliability of the entire unmanned aerial system that includes UAVs, ground control stations, and communication equipment. UAVs can fly at different altitudes but these require pilots to control and operate them and skilled personnel for remote piloting. The number of pilots available for such high-precision operations is comparatively low. 

Also, a rise in drone adoption in commercial and law enforcement, and government applications added to the rising need for skilled fixed-wing VTOL UAV pilots. To reduce the number of accidents caused because of the poor control skills of operators, efforts are being made in order to improve the autonomy of these systems that reduce the involvement of human operators. This has acted as a major restrain to the market growth over the forecast year.

Application Insights

The military application has dominated the market growth over the forecast period because of the rising adoption of these UAVs in this segment.

·         In February 2021, the US Army began testing a new Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV called the RQ-7Bv2 Shadow. The Shadow is a tactical reconnaissance drone that is used for surveillance and targeting in military operations. The new version of the drone has been upgraded with a new engine and avionics system to improve its performance. Similarly, In March 2021, the Indian Navy deployed a Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV called the ScanEagle in the Indian Ocean Region. The drone is used for maritime surveillance and reconnaissance, and can operate in both day and night conditions.

Propulsion Insights

The Electric segment is predicted to garner significant returns of around 30% over the forecast period. In This is due to the growing demand for electric UAVs that offer longer flight times, lower operating costs, and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional fuel-powered UAVs.

Mode Of Operation Insights

The Fully Autonomous segment has dominated the market growth over the forecast period. Growing trend towards increasing autonomy in UAV technology was expected to continue, with many companies working to develop and improve autonomous capabilities. Fully autonomous fixed-wing VTOL UAVs have the potential to revolutionize the UAV market by reducing the need for human operators and enabling more efficient and cost-effective operations.

Endurance Insights

The >10 hours segment has dominated the market growth over the forecast period. This is because of the rising demand for high-endurance fixed-wing VTOL UAVs.

Range Insights

The Beyond light of sight segment has dominated the market growth over the forecast period because of the rising adoption of these UAVs in this segment. The BLOS capability is becoming increasingly important for UAVs in various industries such as military, transportation, and infrastructure inspection, as it enables UAVs to operate beyond the operator's visual line of sight, expanding their capabilities and potential applications. Several companies are actively developing BLOS capabilities for their Fixed-Wing VTOL UAVs, including:

·         AeroVironment's Puma AE and Raven UAVs have BLOS capabilities and have been widely used by the US military for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

·         Skyfront's Perimeter UAV has a BLOS range of up to 100 km and has been used for applications such as pipeline inspection and wildlife monitoring.

·         Vertical Aerospace is developing a BLOS-capable Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV called the VA-1X, which is designed for urban air mobility and cargo delivery applications.

Regional Insights

The fixed-wing VTOL UAV market is segmented into five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these, North America has dominated the growth of the market over the forecast period. This is because of the rising demand for UAVs in various applications, such as maritime security, agriculture, product delivery, etc. The US government has been increasing its spending on military drones in recent years, and the demand for fixed-wing VTOL UAVs has been rising as a result. These UAVs offer longer flight times and greater endurance than other types of drones, making them ideal for military applications such as surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence gathering.

Competitive Analysis

Some of the prominent players operating in the market are ALTI UAS (South Africa), Ukrspecsystems (Ukraine), Threod Systems (Estonia), Quantum Systems (Germany), Vertical Technologies (Netherlands), Aerovironment, Inc (US), Textron (US), Lockheed Martin (US), and Latitude Engineering (US).

Global Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV Market- Segmental Analysis

Based On Application:

• Military

• Government and law enforcement

• Commercial

Based On Propulsion:

• Electric

• Gasoline

• Hybrid

Based On Mode Of Operation:

• Remotely piloted

• Optionally piloted

• Fully autonomous

Based On Endurance:

• <5 hours

• 5-10 hours

• >10 hours

Based On Range:

• Beyond light of sight

• Extended visual line of sight

• Visual lines of sight

Why to buy this Report?

The report provides quantitative and qualitative aspect for Global Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV Market in terms of value and volume, along with supporting market trends, challenges, restraints.

The report provides an in depth analysis from both production and consumption point of view at the regional and country level. Key Factors considered within the report scope are Production capacity by countries/regions, average price, consumption ratio, revenue earned and gross margin.

The report provides competitive analysis of around 30-50 companies operated in Global Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV Market, these companies are bifurcated into niche players, the leaders and major contenders. The companies are analyzed in terms of following factors such as:

•             Business Model

•             Production Capacity, Revenue, Sales, Gross Margin

•             Key Business Strategy

•             SWOT Analysis

In terms of competitive landscape, the report provides distinctive factors that would help the Card Type in taking a key decision within the business:

•             Company Share Analysis from 2020-2022

•             Company Analysis by Revenue and Sales

•             Company Production Capacity, Gross Margin

•             Company Share Analysis by Card Type/Card Type

•             Company Share Analysis by Product/Specification