Simulators Market Report 2026

The simulators market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $23.38 billion in 2025 to $24.77 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to early adoption in flight and military training, increased use in academic research, reliance on mechanical training systems, expansion of simulation-based manufacturing training, growth in transportation simulation platforms.

The simulators market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $32.08 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing demand for virtual training solutions, rising adoption in automotive and healthcare industries, expansion of remote and cloud-based simulation, development of advanced mission-critical simulators, growth in industrial automation-driven training systems. Major trends in the forecast period include adoption of AI-driven simulation platforms, expansion of immersive ar/vr/xr training environments, development of robotics-assisted simulation systems, integration of smart connected simulation frameworks, advancement of intelligent industrial simulation technologies.

The rising need for pilots in the aviation sector is anticipated to boost the growth of the simulator market in the coming years. Pilots are the trained professionals responsible for flying aircraft to transport passengers and cargo, among other aviation-related tasks. Simulators play a crucial role in pilot training within the industry, allowing pilots to hone their skills and gain experience in a realistic yet controlled setting, which helps mitigate actual safety risks for both trainees and instructors. This controlled environment enables pilots to practice troubleshooting procedures and learn from their errors safely. For example, a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a U.S. government agency, projected that employment for airline and commercial pilots will grow by 5% from 2023 to 2033. Thus, the increasing demand for pilots in the aviation sector is propelling the growth of the simulator market.

Key companies in the simulator market are concentrating on creating advanced products, such as mining simulators, to improve training, enhance safety, and boost efficiency for operators in the mining sector. A mining simulator is a specialized training device that mimics real mining environments and equipment, enabling operators to practice and refine their skills in a safe and controlled environment. For example, in September 2024, Immersive Technologies, a mining company based in Australia, introduced the Immersive Technologies IM360+. This state-of-the-art underground mining simulator features cutting-edge stereoscopic 3D graphics and RealView head tracking technology. It is designed to provide maximum training effectiveness and safety, allowing operators to develop their skills in a realistic and immersive setting.

In January 2024, Serious Industrial Motion Simulators Inc. (SIMS), a Canada-based equity-backed firm, acquired the Industrial VR Simulator Business Division from Serious Labs for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is intended to transfer the assets and business operations of the industrial VR simulator from Serious Labs to SIMS. Serious Labs is a Canadian company that focuses on developing virtual reality (VR) training solutions.

Major companies operating in the simulators market are CAE Inc., The Boeing Company, FlightSafety Inc., Thales Group, Airbus SAS, Raytheon Technologies Corporation, SimScale GmbH, Frasca International Inc., Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, Saab AB, Tecknotrove Systems Pvt. Ltd., Indra Sistemas S.A, Elbit Systems Ltd., Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE Systems plc, Dassault Systèmes SE, The AnyLogic Company, Simulations Plus Inc., Materialise NV, HAVELSAN A.S, Emerson Electric Co., Siemens AG, Rockwell Automation Inc., Schneider Electric SE, Autodesk Inc., Ansys Inc., Altair Engineering Inc., The MathWorks Inc., Cybernet Systems Corp., Bentley Systems Incorporated, PTC Inc., CPFD Software LLC, Design Simulation Technologies Inc., Synopsys Inc., Simio LLC, Lanner Group Ltd., SIMUL8 Corporation, CONSELF Srl, SolidWorks Corporation.

North America was the dominating region in the simulators market in 2025. The regions covered in the simulators market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the simulators market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The simulator market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing embedded (on-site) engineering, methods development, process development, process automation, design exploration and optimization, material calibration, realistic rendering, forensic analysis, project engineering. 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).

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 influenced the simulator market by increasing costs for imported electronics, sensors, motion platforms, visual display systems, and computing hardware used in simulation environments across aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial sectors. Regions dependent on Asian electronic component manufacturing, especially North America and Europe, have experienced higher procurement expenses and delivery delays. Nonetheless, tariffs are driving regional hardware manufacturing, stimulating investment in localized simulation technology production, and encouraging innovation in cost-optimized and high-fidelity simulator systems.

The simulators market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides simulators market statistics, including simulators industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a simulators market share, detailed simulators market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the simulators industry. This simulators market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Simulators, both in the form of computer programs and physical devices, serve as invaluable tools for modeling and analyzing the behavior of various systems or processes. They provide users with a controlled and secure environment to study, test, and predict system behavior, fostering critical thinking and active engagement.

There are several types of simulators catering to diverse industries, including full mission bridge simulators, full flight simulators, driving simulators, fixed-based simulators, flight training devices, vessel traffic control simulators, land forces training simulators, full mission flight simulators, and air traffic control simulators. Full mission bridge simulators, for example, replicate the physical aspects and controls of a ship's wheelhouse or bridge, serving the training and assessment needs of seafarers. These simulators are also instrumental in the research and development of ports, waterways, and vessels. Simulators utilize various techniques such as live, virtual, game-based, and constructive across different platforms such as airborne, land, and maritime. They find applications in training, research and development, and vehicle assistance across a wide array of industries, including aerospace and defense, manufacturing, oil and gas, healthcare, automotive, electrical and electronics, among others.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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