High-Power Microwave (HPM) Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Market Report 2025

The high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $0.99 billion in 2024 to $1.23 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing cross-border drone incursions, the expansion of military surveillance programs, a rise in smuggling activities using drones, the adoption of early-warning radar technologies, and the growing need for rapid electronic countermeasures.

The high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.83 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.2%. The projected growth in the forecast period is expected to be driven by the deployment of autonomous drone fleets, the expansion of urban air mobility, greater use of directed-energy weapons, integration of AI-enabled threat detection, and rising demand for scalable counter-UAS solutions. Key trends anticipated during this period include higher levels of automation in threat response, adoption of swarm countermeasure tactics, expansion of battlefield networking systems, deployment of advanced sensors for precision targeting, and increased use of AI-powered predictive analytics for drone threat mitigation.

The increasing use of commercial drones is expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market. Commercial drone applications involve the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles for business and professional use across a variety of sectors, including agriculture, construction, delivery, surveillance, and emergency response. This expansion is largely driven by rapid technological progress, which has made drones more affordable, dependable, and capable of executing complex operations autonomously. As the adoption of commercial drones continues to grow, so does the demand for effective counter-UAS systems using high-power microwave technology, especially from governments and organizations seeking to protect airspace, infrastructure, and sensitive areas from unauthorized or hostile drone activities. For example, in February 2024, Airservices Australia, a federal government-owned organization, reported that drone flights in Australian airspace are projected to increase from 1.5 million in 2023 to 60.4 million by 2043, a 40-fold rise over twenty years. This projected growth highlights the increasing need for counter-UAS measures, driving the HPM counter-UAS market forward.

Leading companies in the HPM counter-UAS sector are developing innovative energy-based systems that utilize high-power microwave technology for quick deployment in military and critical infrastructure defense. These systems use directed energy, such as lasers or microwaves, to detect and disable unauthorized drones, offering a fast, precise, and non-kinetic solution to protect sensitive sites, military bases, and public spaces. For instance, in April 2025, Epirus, a U.S.-based company specializing in counter-electronics and power management technologies, introduced the Leonidas H2O system. This high-energy, HPM counter-UAS platform is designed to neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and boat motors using scalable energy-based technology. During a U.S. Navy exercise, Leonidas H2O demonstrated high-performance results against multiple vessel motors at record distances, proving its value as a software-defined, non-kinetic defense tool that is safe for personnel and compatible with existing ordnance when used correctly.

In February 2025, Epirus Inc. entered a partnership with Peraton to strengthen U.S. defense capabilities through the combination of directed energy expertise and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies. This collaboration aims to improve defense innovation, research, and operational readiness for the U.S. Department of Defense. While Epirus brings experience in directed energy and short-range air defense, Peraton, a U.S.-based national security and technology company, contributes expertise in ISR, command systems, and cybersecurity.

Major players in the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market are Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Thales S.A., Leidos Holdings Inc., Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, Rheinmetall AG, Elbit Systems Ltd, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd, Aselsan A.S., Leonardo DRS Inc., QinetiQ Group plc, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc., AeroVironment Inc., Epirus Inc., DroneShield Ltd, Echodyne Corp, Kvertus Inc., SightLine Applications Inc., and Alpine Eagle Inc.

North America was the largest region in the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market in 2024. The regions covered in high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

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.

The sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.

A high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is a defense technology that uses directed microwave energy to detect, disrupt, or neutralize hostile drones. By interfering with the electronic systems of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), it renders them inoperable without requiring physical contact. This solution provides rapid, scalable protection against drone swarms and helps safeguard critical infrastructure.

The main product types of high-power microwave (HPM) counter-UAS include portable, vehicle-mounted, and fixed systems. Portable units are lightweight, mobile HPM solutions designed for quick deployment and flexible field use. The technology incorporates high-power microwave, directed-energy, and hybrid approaches, deployed across various platforms such as ground-based, airborne, and naval systems. End-users include government agencies, commercial entities, and others.

The high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market statistics, including the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market share, detailed high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market segments, market trends, opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industry. This high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) 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.

The high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as drone detection and tracking, swarm defense, scalable deployment, and non-kinetic engagement. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The high-power microwave (HPM) counter-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market also includes sales of microwave transmitters, antenna arrays, control consoles, power supply units, and cooling 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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