Civil Defense Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Market Report 2026

The civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $2.45 billion in 2025 to $2.77 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to adoption of surveillance and reconnaissance drones for civil monitoring and public safety, deployment of firefighting UAVs for early fire detection and response, rising use of communication relay UAVs to support emergency operations, integration of UAVs in search and rescue missions, implementation of UAV-based environmental monitoring for disaster preparedness.

The civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.45 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing demand for autonomous civil defense UAVs with enhanced AI capabilities, expansion of multi-purpose UAV platforms for disaster response and public safety, rising adoption of UAVs equipped with advanced sensors and real-time data analytics, focus on long-endurance and high-payload UAVs for extended operations, increasing procurement for municipal, state, and federal emergency management programs. Major trends in the forecast period include growing use of uavs for rapid disaster assessment, increasing deployment of uavs in urban search and rescue, rising adoption of specialized firefighting drones, expansion of civil defense uav training and skill development programs, growing preference for long-endurance uav platforms in emergency operations.

The growing demand for advanced surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities is expected to drive the growth of the civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) market. Advanced surveillance and reconnaissance involve the use of state-of-the-art technologies and sensors to collect real-time, high-precision intelligence, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making. This demand is fueled by the increasing need for timely monitoring to detect and respond effectively to evolving security and emergency threats. Civil defense UAVs support these capabilities by providing real-time aerial observation, high-resolution imaging, and extensive data collection over large or hard-to-reach areas without endangering human lives. For example, in September 2024, the Congressional Research Service, a US-based government agency, reported that allocations for the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and Military Intelligence Program (MIP) rose from $99.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2023 to $106.3 billion in FY 2024, and $101.6 billion in FY 2025. Consequently, the increasing need for advanced surveillance and reconnaissance is driving the civil defense UAV market.

Companies operating in the civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market are concentrating on technological advancements like fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones to improve operational flexibility, endurance, and rapid deployment during emergencies. A fixed-wing VTOL drone is an unmanned aircraft that combines the runway-free launch and landing capabilities of rotorcraft with the long-range and high-speed flight advantages of fixed-wing designs. For example, in June 2025, Delair, a France-based manufacturer, introduced the DT61, which offers advanced vertical takeoff and landing, endurance exceeding seven hours, and modular payload integration for versatile, multi-mission surveillance and inspection over large land and maritime areas in both civilian and military applications. Its compact, quickly deployable design supports the simultaneous use of high-performance sensors, making it ideal for rapid response, intelligence collection, and civil defense operations.

In June 2025, Redwire, a US-based aerospace and defense technology solutions company, acquired Edge Autonomy. This acquisition is intended to expand Redwire’s portfolio in autonomous space systems by incorporating Edge Autonomy’s advanced autonomy and robotics technologies, enhancing mission capabilities and broadening market presence. Edge Autonomy is a US-based company specializing in autonomous systems and robotics for space applications.

Major companies operating in the civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Thales S.A., Leonardo S.p.A., Textron Inc., Elbit Systems Ltd., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., TEKEVER Autonomous Systems, Parrot Drones SAS, Schiebel Group, Garuda Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., Drone Volt SA, Delair SAS, Paras Defence and Space Technologies Ltd., BlueBird Aero Systems Ltd., ideaForge Technology Ltd., Threod Systems, UAVOS Inc., AceCore Technologies, C-Astral Aerospace, Dragonfly Pictures, FLIR Systems, AeroExpo, GRIFF Aviation AS, OM UAV Systems.

North America was the largest region in the civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles 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 UAV components such as sensors, batteries, motors, and communication systems have increased production costs and slowed procurement for surveillance and emergency response fleets, particularly in regions dependent on imported drone technologies across Asia-Pacific and Europe. These tariffs impact segments like fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAVs used for disaster management and firefighting. However, they also encourage domestic manufacturing, boost local innovation, and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, supporting long-term resilience and strategic autonomy in civil defense UAV capabilities.

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

Civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are remotely piloted or autonomous aircraft operated by civil authorities and emergency services for non-military purposes such as disaster response, search and rescue, surveillance, firefighting, environmental monitoring, and public safety operations. They enhance situational awareness, speed up response times, and assist in decision-making during emergencies and critical situations.

The primary types of civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles include fixed-wing UAVs, rotary-wing UAVs, and hybrid UAVs. Fixed-wing UAVs are drones that use rigid wings to generate lift and are designed for long-range, high-speed flights without requiring continuous rotor thrust. These aerial vehicles are employed in surveillance, search and rescue, disaster management, firefighting, and border security, and are used by government agencies, military forces, civil defense organizations, public safety departments, and emergency responders.

The countries covered in the civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The civil defense unmanned aerial vehicles market consists of sales of surveillance and reconnaissance drones, firefighting unmanned aerial vehicles, and communication relay unmanned aerial vehicles. 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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