Inspection Drone Market Report 2026

The inspection drone market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $11.64 billion in 2025 to $13.63 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing adoption of drones to replace manual inspection processes for large industrial assets, rising use of mini and micro drones to access hard-to-reach inspection areas, early deployment of vtol drones enabling stable flight in complex inspection environments, growth in utilization of hexacopters and octocopters for high-payload inspection sensors, development of tethered drones providing continuous power for extended inspection missions.

The inspection drone market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $25.82 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expanding demand for automated inspection solutions driven by infrastructure aging and maintenance needs, rising integration of advanced imaging and sensing technologies to improve inspection accuracy, increasing adoption of ai-enabled analytics to enhance inspection data processing, growth in specialized industrial inspection services across energy, utilities, and construction sectors, accelerating procurement of high-endurance inspection drones to support frequent and large-scale asset monitoring. Major trends in the forecast period include mini and micro drone adoption for precision inspection, vtol drone integration for hard-to-reach areas, hexacopter and octocopter deployment for heavy sensor payloads, real-time data transmission and analytics capabilities, enhanced durability and weather-resistant designs.

The rising oil and gas sector is expected to drive the growth of the inspection drone market going forward. The oil and gas sector involves the extraction, exploration, refining, and distribution of fossil fuels, supporting various industries and meeting global energy demands. It includes companies engaged in activities related to crude oil, natural gas, and their derived products. Inspection drones are used in the oil and gas industry to perform efficient and safe inspections of infrastructure, pipelines, and facilities, providing real-time data on equipment integrity and operational conditions, reducing downtime, and improving overall safety. For example, in June 2023, according to the Energy Information Administration, a US-based federal statistical and analytical agency, global oil demand is projected to increase by 6% between 2022 and 2028, reaching 105.7 million barrels per day, while global upstream investments in oil and gas exploration, extraction, and production are expected to grow 11% year-on-year to a record USD 528 billion in 2023. Therefore, the expanding oil and gas sector is contributing to the growth of the inspection drone market.

Major companies operating in the inspection drone market are developing advanced solutions, such as asset inspection technology, to gain a competitive edge in the market. Asset inspection technology involves the use of advanced tools such as drones, sensors, and data analytics to assess and monitor the condition, performance, and integrity of physical assets, optimizing maintenance and reducing downtime. For instance, in October 2023, Dexon Technology plc, a Thailand-based oil and gas technology company, launched the GEN 2 Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM) Drone System, a groundbreaking inspection drone system specifically designed to provide enhanced inspection capabilities. It incorporates non-destructive testing using ultrasonic thickness measuring in a variety of sectors. This innovative drone system features a 180-degree adjustable ultrasonic sensor arm, allowing for dynamic inspections. With the ability to inspect surfaces at various orientations and angles, the GEN 2 UTM drone ensures comprehensive and accurate data collection across a wide range of assets.

In December 2023, AkzoNobel NV, a Netherlands-based paint and coating manufacturing company, acquired a minority stake in Donecle for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition reflects AkzoNobel’s strategy of partnering with best-in-class technologies, which is central to the manufacturer’s new Aerofleet coatings management service. Donecle is a France-based manufacturer of inspection drones, such as the Iris GVI drone, for automated visual inspection of aircraft structures and components.

Major companies operating in the inspection drone market are Drone Volt SA, Wipro Limited, Trimble Inc., EPAZZ Inc., Teledyne Flir LLC, Intertek Group plc, Insitu Inc., AeroVironment Inc., Yuneec International Co. Ltd, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., 3D Robotics Inc., ECA Group, Airobotics Ltd., MIR Innovation, Parrot SA, SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd (Dà-Jiāng Innovations), MISTRAS Group Inc., PrecisionHawk Inc., AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc., Flyability SA, Delair Aerial Intelligence SAS, Aerialtronics B.V., MicroMultiCopter Aero Technology Co. Ltd, Draganfly Innovations Inc., Digital Aerolus Inc., American Robotics Inc., SkySpecs Inc., Acecore Technologies B.V.

North America was the largest region in the inspection drone market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the inspection drone market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs have impacted the inspection drones market by increasing costs of imported sensors, cameras, motors, and other key components, raising production costs and delivery timelines. Multi-rotor and VTOL drones are most affected, particularly in North America and Europe that rely on imports from Asia-Pacific manufacturers. While tariffs create cost challenges, they have also encouraged local manufacturing, component innovation, and regional supply chain diversification, offering opportunities for domestic drone producers.

The main types of inspection drones are fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and hybrid. A fixed-wing drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that has one rigid wing designed to look and work like an airplane, providing lift rather than vertical lift rotors. Various types of components are used, such as the mainframe, brushless motors and ESC, transmitter and receiver, flight controller, and others, which are sold through online and offline sales channels. These are used for several applications, such as oil and gas pipeline inspection, solar panel, power line and windmill, critical infrastructure inspections, commercial farms, built railway, roadways and bridge inspection, border security, and others. Various end-users are included, such as construction and infrastructure, oil and gas, agriculture, utilities, and others.

Inspection drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed for visual checks and data gathering on large assets for maintenance purposes. They are used to allow inspectors to speed up their collection of inspection data while removing slower manual processes.

The main types of inspection drones are fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and hybrid. A fixed-wing drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that has one rigid wing designed to look and work like an airplane, providing lift rather than vertical lift rotors. Various types of components are used, such as the mainframe, brushless motors and ESC, transmitter and receiver, flight controller, and others, which are sold through online and offline sales channels. These are used for several applications, such as oil and gas pipeline inspection, solar panel, power line and windmill, critical infrastructure inspections, commercial farms, built railway, roadways and bridge inspection, border security, and others. Various end-users are included, such as construction and infrastructure, oil and gas, agriculture, utilities, and others.

The countries covered in the inspection drone market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The inspection drones market consists of sales of mini and micro drones, tethered drones, VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) drones, hexacopters, and octocopters. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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