Medical Drones Market: Distribution by Type of Rotors, Payload Ranges, Type of Medical Supplies Delivered, End-users, Type of Automation, Company Size and Key Geographical Regions: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035

The global medical drones market is expected to grow at compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 15% during the forecast period. Drones are becoming indispensable in the healthcare industry, serving various functions, such as delivering drugs, medical kits, vaccines, organs and surgical equipment. The timely delivery of critical medical resources has gradually prompted a wider adoption of medical delivery drones, mitigating logistical challenges and enhancing global healthcare distribution. Medical drones also act as first responders and aid disease control in medical emergencies. Organ transport exemplifies the crucial role of delivery drones in healthcare, during an emergency situation. Additionally, medical drones offer numerous other benefits, including minimizing human error, reducing costs and improving patient outcomes. Furthermore, medical drones enhance healthcare accessibility by reaching secluded areas and providing vital healthcare resources to regions that face challenges in accessing quality care, thus promoting equity and inclusivity in healthcare provision. It is worth noting that, driven by the growing demand for faster delivery of medical supplies, the medical drones market is anticipated to witness substantial growth during the forecast period.

Key Market Insights

The Medical Drones Market: Distribution by Type of Rotors (Multi-Rotor Drones, Fixed-Wing Drones, Hybrid Wing Drones and Single Rotor Drones), Payload Ranges (1-5 Kgs, 6-20 Kgs, 21-50 Kgs, 51-120 Kgs, 121-200 Kgs and >200 Kgs), Type of Medical Supplies Delivered (Drugs, Medical Kits, Vaccines, Organs and Surgical Equipment), End-users (Hospitals / Pharmacies, Diagnostic Labs, Government Bodies and NGOs), Type of Automation (Fully Automated and Semi-Automated), Company Size (Small, Mid-sized and Large) and Key Geographical Regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East and North Africa): Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2023-2035 report features an extensive study of the current market landscape, market size and future opportunities associated with the medical drones market, during the given forecast period. Further, the market research report highlights the efforts of several stakeholders engaged in this rapidly emerging segment of the healthcare industry. Key takeaways of the medical drones market report are briefly discussed below. 

Current Medical Drone Companies Market Landscape

The current market landscape features the presence of over 100 medical drone companies across various geographies. The market is well-fragmented, featuring the presence of established players and start-ups that possess the required expertise to deliver essential medical supplies. Majority of the companies are based in the US, followed by emerging players in the developing regions of Asia-Pacific. It is worth noting that multiple start-ups have emerged in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Benefits and growing demand for Ambulance Drones and Medical Drones for Delivery of Medical Supplies

Medical drones are emerging as a promising technology in healthcare for enhancing patient survival, outcomes and quality of life. Given the ongoing trends, the interest of various industry / non-industry stakeholders in medical drones is growing at a higher pace. These delivery drones can also be used as ambulance drones to deliver automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to patients experiencing cardiac arrest. One such example is the medical drone from Delft University; it is an ambulance drone to speed up emergency response, which can save fatalities and hasten recovery for a critical patient in the initial minutes of cardiac arrest, drowning, trauma and respiratory problems. Additionally, automated external defibrillator (AED), medication, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be supplied using Delft University’s delivery drone in medical emergencies.

It is worth noting that such unmanned aerial vehicles also contribute to saving millions of lives by transporting vital medical supplies to remote or inaccessible areas. During the critical time of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical drones were used for the delivery of PPE kits, testing supplies and vaccines to remote areas. In March 2021, Zipline (a US based company) delivered more than 11,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in a few days in Ghana. In India, the Indian Council of Medical Research’s Drone Response and Outreach in Northeast (i-Drone) delivered 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Manipur. As the benefits of medical drone technology for the improvement of healthcare delivery are realized, the medical drones market will witness significant market growth during the forecast period. 

Evolving Drone Technology to Support the Unmet Needs

Integrating advanced technologies like AI and machine learning, medical drones can perform tasks, such as automated defibrillation, emergency medical response, and aerial surveillance during disasters. The AI detection system in the medical drones offered by Amazon is trained to detect people and animals from the sky, and further assist risks in real-time. Specialized medical drones are also equipped with telemedicine capabilities, diagnostic tools, and thermal imaging cameras enabling real-time monitoring and diagnosis of patients in remote as well as congested locations. As regulations evolve, medical drone deployment is expected to increase, improving healthcare accessibility, enhancing emergency response, and saving lives. 

Rise in Investment in Medical Drones Market

The heightened interest in the medical drones market can be validated by the fact that, in the last four years, more than USD 3 billion has been invested in companies engaged in manufacturing or those offering medical drones. The majority of the funds have been raised through venture rounds. In terms of the amount of funds raised, Zipline and Volocopter are the leading medical drone companies. The most recent funding round for Zipline was a series F funding in April 2023, in which the company raised nearly $330 million. For Germany-based Volocopter, the last funding round was a series E in November 2022, when the company raised $182 million. In addition to medical drones, both companies are actively working on the development of their electric passenger aircraft / air taxis. However, companies that are solely focused on delivery drones for medical delivery, such as Wingcopter, are also raising funds. The company announced an investment of $44 million from the European Investment Bank in May 2023. It is worth highlighting that the financial support from the venture capitalists will provide the much-needed funds required for the commercialization and evolution of drone technology, driving the medical drone market growth during the forecast period.

Medical Drones are Paving the Way for Accessible Healthcare via Partnership Activity 

Several stakeholders involved in medical drone manufacturing have established collaborations with both industry and non-industry players, primarily for supply, distribution and technology integration. Notably, more than 100 strategic partnerships have been inked in the medical drone delivery market since 2019.

Owing to several advantages of medical drones in healthcare, the stakeholders are also signing purchase agreements with other players in order to expand their delivery services and build a comprehensive service portfolio. In April 2023, TSAW Drones partnered with Kanhaiya Life Care Medicine to initiate B2C medical drone delivery in Kolkata, India. Moreover, in January 2022, Wingcopter signed a commercial agreement with Spright to meet the increasing demand for medical drone delivery solutions throughout the US. It is also interesting to note the involvement of government bodies of various countries coming forward to put in efforts on incorporating medical drone delivery in their respective countries. One such well-known example is from Rwanda, Africa; the Government of Rwanda inked a partnership deal with Zipline for medical delivery across new sites in both rural and urban localities of Africa.

Challenges Related to Medical Drones Market

The field of medical drones encounters critical challenges that must be addressed to ensure its effective implementation. Integrating medical drones into existing healthcare systems and infrastructure presents logistical hurdles such as airspace management, secure data transmission, and coordination with on-ground healthcare professionals. Additionally, ensuring the reliability, durability, and resilience of medical drones in diverse environmental conditions and technical contingencies is paramount. Moreover, building public trust and acceptance requires proactive education and awareness campaigns to alleviate privacy concerns and foster widespread adoption. Overcoming these challenges is imperative to successfully integrate medical drones into healthcare landscape, ultimately enhancing patient care and accessibility.

Leading Drone Companies Serving the Healthcare Industry

Examples of drone companies serving the healthcare industry (which have also been captured in this market report) include AeroEnvoy, Amazon, Ehang, Matternet, Skyports, Swoop Aero, Volocopter, Wingcopter and Zipline. This market report also includes an easily searchable excel database of all medical drone companies worldwide.

Scope of the Report

The market research report presents an in-depth analysis of the various firms / organizations that are engaged in this market, across different segments.

The research report presents an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this market, across different geographies. Amongst other elements, the market report includes:

• An executive summary of the insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the current scenario of medical drones market, including both products and providers and its likely evolution in the mid to long term.
• A general overview of the medical drones, highlighting the recent activities in the field of medical drone delivery and their essential components. It also showcases latest features and applications of medical drones, along with its advantages in the healthcare industry. Further, it discusses the various challenges associated with aerial medical supplies delivery, along with the growing adoption of such technologies.
• A detailed assessment of the current market landscape of medical drones, based on several relevant parameters, such as status of development (commercialized and under development), accreditations / certifications, type of automation (fully automated and semi-automated), integrated technology (AI and IoT), type of rotor (multi-rotor, fixed-wing, hybrid wing and single rotor), payload ranges (1 to 5 kgs, 6 to 20 kgs, 21 to 50 kgs, 51 to 120 kgs, 121 to 200 kgs and > 200 kgs), distance covered (1 to 20 kms, 21 to 60 kms, 61 to 120 kms, 121 to 250 kms, 251 to 800 kms and > 800 kms), industry covered (healthcare, logistics, food delivery, e-commerce and others), type of medical supplies delivered (drugs, medical kits, vaccines, organs, surgical equipment and unspecified), application areas (medical supplies, sample collection / blood delivery, ambulatory care and patient transport) and end-users (hospitals / pharmacies, diagnostic labs, government bodies and NGOs). Further, a detailed assessment of medical drones manufacturers, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of establishment, company size (in terms of number of employees), location of headquarters, type of company (private and public) and type of organization (industry and non-industry). 
• An insightful competitiveness analysis of medical drone comapnies (manufacturers), based on company strength (in terms of the experience of the manufacturer and company size), product diversity (in terms of status of development, type of automation, industry covered, types of medical supplies delivered, application areas and end-users and product strength (in terms of payload ranges and distance covered).
• Elaborate profiles of prominent medical drone companies (shortlisted based on a proprietary criterion) based in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Each profile features a brief overview of the company (including information on its year of establishment, number of employees, location of headquarters and key members of the executive team), financial information (if available), details related to the product portfolio, recent developments and an informed future outlook. 
• A detailed analysis of the partnerships inked between stakeholders in medical drones market, since 2019, covering various types of partnerships (supply agreements, distribution agreements, technology integration agreements, purchase agreements, capability expansions, R&D agreements, service alliances and other agreements), purpose of partnerships (medical supply delivery, logistics, flight trials, geographic expansions, ambulatory support, blood delivery, humanitarian operations, product evaluations and others), type of medical supplies delivered (drugs, medical kits, vaccines, organs, surgical equipment and unspecified), type of partner, and distribution by geography.
• An analysis of the investments made, including seed financing, venture capital financing, capital raised from IPOs, grants, debt financing and other equity, and subsequent offerings, at various stages of development in start-ups, small and mid-sized companies that are focused on developing medical drones.
• A detailed and insightful strategic framework tailored to assist new entrants in the rapidly growing medical drones market. Further, our proprietary, ProGen framework, encompasses crucial elements and provides valuable guidance to interested players, empowering them to effectively penetrate the medical drones market.
• One of the key objectives of this market report was to estimate the current medical drone market size, opportunity and the future growth potential of the market, over the forecast period. We have provided informed estimates on the likely evolution of the market for the forecast period, 2023-2035. Additionally, historical trends of the market have also been presented for the time period, 2018-2022. Further, our year-wise projections of the current and forecasted opportunity have been further segmented based on relevant parameters, such as type of rotors (multi-rotor drones, fixed-wing drones, hybrid wing drones and single rotor drones), Payload Ranges (1-5 Kgs, 6-20 Kgs, 21-50 Kgs, 51-120 Kgs, 121-200 Kgs and >200 Kgs), type of medical supplies delivered (drugs, medical kits, vaccines, organs and surgical equipment, end-users (hospitals / pharmacies, diagnostic labs, government bodies and NGOs), company size (small, mid-sized and large) and key geographical regions North America (the US, Canada and rest of the North America), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and rest of the Europe), Asia-Pacific (India, Japan, Russia, China, Australia and rest of the Asia-Pacific) and Middle East and North Africa. In order to account for future uncertainties associated with some of the key parameters and to add robustness to our model, we have provided three market forecast scenarios, namely conservative, base and optimistic scenarios, representing different tracks of the market growth.

The opinions and insights presented in the report were influenced by discussions held with stakeholders in this industry. The report features detailed transcripts of interviews held with industry stakeholders.

All actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available information forums and primary research discussions. Financial figures mentioned in this report are in USD, unless otherwise specified.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What are medical drones?

Answer: A medical drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specifically designed and equipped to provide healthcare-related services.

Question 2: Do medical drones exist?

Answer: Yes, medical drones are commercially available and used for medical purposes.

Question 3: What are the uses of medical drones?

Answer: Medical drones can carry medical supplies such as first aid kits, defibrillators, blood products, and even organs for transplants. They are designed to transport these medical resources swiftly and safely to remote or hard-to-reach areas, especially in emergency situations where timely delivery is critical.

Question 4: How fast is a medical drone?

Answer: The speed of medical drones can vary depending on various factors, such as their design, payload capacity, weather conditions and regulatory restrictions imposed by the specific location or jurisdiction. Many medical drones have the capability to fly at speeds ranging from 40 to 80 kilometers per hour (25 to 50 miles per hour).

Question 5: What are the driving factors of the medical drones market?

Answer: The global medical drones market is currently driven by an increase in demand for healthcare access to remote areas and faster medical deliveries to hospitals or during an emergency.

Question 6: What is the current size of medical drones market?

Answer: The global medical drones market is estimated to be worth USD XX million in 2023.

Question 7: What are the leading market segments in the global medical drones market?

Answer: In terms of the type of rotor, the multi-rotor currently accounts for the largest market share (close to 50%) of the global medical drones market.

Question 8: Which region is leading the global medical drones market?

Answer: Presently, the medical drones market is dominated by Asia-Pacific, capturing more than 30% of the overall market size.

Question 9: What will be the CAGR of global medical drones market?

Answer: The medical drones market is projected to grow at an annualized rate (CAGR) of around 15%, during the forecast period 2023-2035.

Question 10: Which are the leading companies operating in the medical drones market?

Answer: At present, more than 95 companies are engaged in manufacturing medical drones. Examples of top / leading companies engaged in this market (which have also been captured in this report) include Zipline, Amazon, ProDrone, Volocopter, Meituan, Airbus, L3Harris, Qualcomm, Falck, DJI, SABCA and Autel Robotics.

Question 11: What are the problems with medical drones?

Answer: The main concern with medical drones is the high economical cost, along with maintenance charges. Some of the other hurdles include battery life, uncertain weather conditions, and payload capacity.

Question 12: How much does a drone delivery cost?

Answer: Drone delivery usually costs varies depending on the type of industry where it has been used. However, the average cost of drone delivery would cost from $500-$1500.