UAVs have proved to be remarkably useful during peacekeeping missions and the on-going global war on terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan, enhancing capabilities in both defence and intelligence roles

Wednesday 31 July 2013, Amsterdam

With surveillance taking an increasingly important role both on and off the battlefield, our report – The Global UAV Market 2013-2023 – forecasts robust spending in the global UAV market to 2023, with the market expanding from US$7.3 billion in 2013 to US$14.0 billion by 2023 – a CAGR of 6.75%. This substantial growth is fuelled by the growing need for persistent surveillance of large areas, providing enhanced situational awareness and responsiveness to military forces.

North America Dominates Market  
The US is the largest defense spender in the world – a position that is well reflected in its domination of the UAV market. Strategic Defence Intelligence’s research indicates that it will spend US$52.1 billion on UAVs between 2013 and 2023.

Whilst Europe has borne the brunt of the global economic crisis - which has had severely detrimental consequences for military spending - the region is still expected to increase its UAV spending over the next decade, though will be overtaken by the ever more powerful Asia Pacific region, which is expected to hold the second largest share of the UAV market by 2023.

Demand Driven by Security Threats
UAVs have proved to be exceedingly useful not only during peacekeeping missions, but also  in the ongoing global war on terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan, finding applications across ISR and combat roles. Furthermore, enhanced capabilities in areas such as endurance, data processing, and communications have broadened ISR UAV use in both defense and intelligence roles.

Security threats posed by cross-border insurgents, illegal immigrants, pirates, hostile nations and terrorist organizations have created a need for defense systems capable of carrying out surveillance and intelligence gathering missions. UAVs provide enhanced coverage along remote sections of a country’s border, and UAVs equipped with electro-optical (EO) sensors can identify images from an altitude of 60,000 feet, providing real-time imagery to a ground control operator. This enables fast and informed decisions to be made regarding deployment of border patrol agents.

UAVs also have a wider range than border security forces on patrol or stationary surveillance equipment, and have a higher probability of tracking illegal immigrants seeking to enter a country through dense woods or mountainous terrain. Moreover, compared to a manned defense system such as a helicopter, UAVs have a longer flight time: the Predator B UAV can fly for 30 hours without refueling, whilst a helicopter’s average fuel time is an estimated two hours. Owing to all these factors, countries across the globe are investing in the procurement - as well as research and development - of UAVs.

Demand Driven by Border Dispites
Territorial disputes among countries lead to a competitive acquisition of defense systems within a region. Such contemporary disputes involve India and Pakistan, South Korea and North Korea, Thailand and Cambodia, and China and Taiwan; all are driving the global UAV market.

Moreover, China’s increasing dominance in the South China Sea, coupled with an unstable regional environment, has more broadly increased demand for UAVs in the Asia-Pacific region. China plans to launch UAVs in 11 provinces to survey and patrol the nation’s coastal borders. It is also pursuing an aggressive development and production plan for UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles) such as the Lijian and CH3.

China has laid claims to the entire South China Sea – a move that has precipitated territorial disputes with a number of countries, including Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. This has led to Japanese authorities borrowing Global Hawk UAVs from the US to monitor its coasts, and they have now expressed interest to purchase about three of them by 2015.

This report is the result of an extensive research covering the defense industry.

It offers in-depth analysis of:

• Market opportunity and attractiveness: detailed analysis of the current industry size, and growth expectations during 2013-2023, including the factors that influence the reasons countries are investing or cutting defence expenditure and provides detailed understanding of emerging opportunities in specific areas.
• Procurement dynamics: trend analysis of imports and exports, together with their implications and impact on the Global UAV market.
• Industry structure: five forces analysis of imports and exports, together with their implications and impact on the Global UAV market. 
• Market entry strategy: analysis of the possible ways to enter the market, together with detailed descriptions of how existing companies have entered the market, including key contracts, alliances, and strategic initiatives.
• Competitive landscape and strategic insights: analysis of the competitive landscape of the defense industry in the UAV market, providing an overview of key defense companies (both domestic and foreign), together with insights such as key alliances, strategic initiatives, and a brief financial analysis.
• Business environment and country risk: a range of drivers at country level, assessing business environment and country risk. It covers historical and forecast values for a range of indicators, evaluating business confidence, economic performance, infrastructure quality and availability, labor force, demographics, and political and social risk. 

This will facilitate:

• Clear identification of market opportunities and entry strategies to gain or grow market share in the Global UAV industry.
• Proper understanding of the competitive landscape of the Global UAV market, including key domestic and foreign defense companies, key alliances and strategic initiatives.
• A clear understanding of forces operating on the market, and actionable insight on forthcoming developments that will shape the landscape of opportunity in the foreseeable future.