Solar Powered Drones Market Report 2026

The solar powered drones market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $2.58 billion in 2025 to $3.08 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growing demand for long-endurance and sustainable UAV operations, advancements in lightweight photovoltaic panels and energy-efficient propulsion systems, rising adoption of solar-powered drones in environmental monitoring and agriculture, technological improvements in power management and flight control systems, early adoption in surveillance and mapping applications for remote areas.

The solar powered drones market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $6.18 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing deployment of solar-powered drones for telecommunications and network connectivity, integration of ai and machine learning for autonomous flight and energy optimization, development of hybrid solar-electric propulsion systems for extended missions, rising adoption in disaster response and emergency monitoring, expansion of commercial services including aerial inspection, monitoring, and data collection. Major trends in the forecast period include development of high-efficiency photovoltaic panels for drones, expansion of long-endurance surveillance and mapping services, integration of solar power with hybrid uav designs, adoption of solar drones for remote environmental monitoring, increased use in disaster management and emergency response.

The rising military and defense investment is expected to propel the growth of the solar-powered drones market going forward. Military and defense spending refers to the financial resources allocated by a state to build and maintain its armed forces, including weapons, equipment, and personnel. Countries are increasing their military investments to deter potential attacks, safeguard national security, and help prevent conflicts. This growing expenditure supports the development and deployment of solar-powered drones for reconnaissance, surveillance, and tactical missions, enhancing their capabilities and fostering innovation. For instance, in April 2024, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Sweden-based independent international research organization, reported that total global military spending reached $2.44 trillion in 2023, marking a 6.8% increase from 2022. Therefore, rising military and defense spending is driving the growth of the solar-powered drones market.

The rising demand for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions is expected to propel the growth of the solar-powered drones market going forward. Sustainable and eco-friendly solutions refer to practices or products that reduce environmental impact by conserving resources, minimizing waste, and supporting long-term ecological balance. The increased adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly solutions is fueled by growing environmental awareness, stricter regulations, and higher consumer demand for greener alternatives. For instance, in December 2024, Eurostat, a Luxembourg-based government agency, reported that renewable energy accounted for 24.5% of the EU’s total energy consumption in 2023, up from 23% in 2022. Therefore, rising demand for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions is driving the growth of the solar-powered drones market.

Major companies operating in the solar-powered drones market are increasing their focus on developing advanced solutions, such as solar-powered stratospheric aircraft, to gain a competitive edge in the market. A solar-powered stratospheric aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is designed to fly in the stratosphere using solar power as its primary energy source, enabling long-endurance flights for high-altitude data collection and monitoring purposes. For instance, in April 2023, Kea Aerospace, a New Zealand-based tech company, launched the Kea Atmos Mk 1, the first solar-powered drone or stratospheric aircraft designed and built in the Southern Hemisphere. This has a wingspan of 12.5 meters, a weight under 40 kilograms, and the capability to fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet. It offers long-endurance flight capabilities for months and high-altitude data collection, making it a game-changer in the solar-powered drones market for applications requiring extended, high-altitude data collection.

Major companies operating in the solar powered drones market are Google LLC, Meta Platforms Inc. (Ascenta), The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Intel Corporation, Airbus SE, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Thales Group, QinetiQ Group plc (The Carlyle Group), AeroVironment Inc., SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd., SunCulture Solar Inc., Alta Devices Inc., Bye Aerospace Inc., Sunlight Photonics Inc., Silent Falcon UAS Technologies, Sunbirds SAS, Xsun, UAV Instruments, Barnard Microsystems Limited, Elektra Solar GmbH.

North America was the largest region in the solar powered drones market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the solar powered drones 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 on solar panels, UAV components, and sensors are increasing production costs and slowing adoption of solar-powered drones across regions such as Asia-Pacific and North America, where key manufacturing hubs exist. Segments such as fixed-wing solar drones and hybrid VTOL drones are most affected due to reliance on imported components. However, tariffs are encouraging local manufacturing of solar UAV components and fostering innovation in cost-efficient, high-performance drone designs.

The main types of solar powered drones are vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), fixed wing, rotary wing, and hybrid. Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones refer to a type of machine that is capable of taking off and landing vertically, eliminating the need for runways. Various types of components include payload, motors, energy systems, frames, and controller and navigation, which are used for several services, including data analysis, data collection, and drone leasing. These are used for various applications, such as agriculture, energy, military, telecommunication, research and exploration, surveillance, and disaster management, by several end-users, including commercial, government, and non-profit organizations.

Solar-powered drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with photovoltaic panels to harness solar energy for propulsion and operation. These drones offer sustainable and long-endurance flight capabilities, making them ideal for various applications such as environmental monitoring, agriculture, surveillance, and telecommunications.

The main types of solar powered drones are vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), fixed wing, rotary wing, and hybrid. Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones refer to a type of machine that is capable of taking off and landing vertically, eliminating the need for runways. Various types of components include payload, motors, energy systems, frames, and controller and navigation, which are used for several services, including data analysis, data collection, and drone leasing. These are used for various applications, such as agriculture, energy, military, telecommunication, research and exploration, surveillance, and disaster management, by several end-users, including commercial, government, and non-profit organizations.

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

The solar powered drones market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services like mapping, aerial photography, inspection, monitoring services, and more. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The solar powered drones market also includes sales of solar panels, propellers, sensors, and power management systems and monitoring systems. 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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