Fixed Wing VTOL UAV Market Size, Share & Growth

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The Global Fixed Wing VTOL UAV Market Size was valued at USD 842 million in 2022 and is estimated to reach USD 4,627 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 23.7% during the forecast period. The rise in the adoption of technologically advanced runwayless unmanned aerial military platforms by defense forces is one of the most significant factors projected to drive the growth of the Fixed-wing VTOL UAV Industry. The increasing adoption of fixed-wing VTOL UAVs in various commercial applications, such as monitoring, surveying & mapping, agriculture, aerial remote sensing, and product delivery, is also contributing to the growth of the market.

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Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market Dynamics:

Driver:   Wide-scale use in civil & commercial applications

Fixed-wing VTOL UAVs are extensively used in various civil & commercial applications such as photography, product delivery, greenhouse emission monitoring, and wildlife research & preservation. They are also being used in the agriculture, real estate, mining, and oil & gas industries. In the agricultural sector, the use of UAVs has led to the evolution of precision farming, which enables farmers to monitor the health of crops, keep track of irrigation equipment, and identify different types of weeds, among others.
Rapid industrial developments in the US, China, France, and Japan have increased the demand for automation in various industries. Moreover, increased foreign investments and the transfer of technologies related to fixed-wing VTOL UAV platforms from developed economies to emerging economies are also expected to contribute to increased demand for them in civil & commercial applications. The growing use of these UAVs in civil & commercial applications due to their superior endurance and low operating costs has resulted in increased production, which is the primary factor driving the growth of the market. Threod Systems (Estonia), ALTI UAS (South Africa), Autel Robotics (US), Vertical Technologies (US), Quantum-Systems (Germany), and Wingtra (Switzerland) are significant players in the commercial UAV space.

Restraint: Lack of skilled & trained personnel for operation

Unlike conventional aircraft, personnel operating fixed-wing VTOL UAVs need to ensure the reliability of the entire unmanned aerial system, which includes UAVs, ground control stations, and communication equipment. These UAVs can fly at different altitudes but require pilots to control and operate them and skilled personnel for remote piloting. The number of pilots available for such high precision operations is comparatively low. An increase in drone adoption in the commercial and law enforcement & government applications adds to the growing need for skilled fixed-wing VTOL UAV pilots. Presently, to reduce the number of accidents caused due to the poor control skills of operators, efforts are being made to improve the autonomy of these systems, thereby reducing the involvement of human operators. Fixed-wing VTOL UAVs should be equipped with systems that offer them autonomous sense and avoid, the capability to avoid collisions during operation alongside manned aircraft in congested airspace and beyond the line of sight of ground control stations.

Opportunity: Increased deployment to carry out aerial remote sensing

Aerial remote sensing protects critical infrastructure such as military bases, government buildings, airports, and banks, among others. Fixed-wing VTOL UAVs offer prompt, efficient, and reliable services to police and military departments since they need to be ready to respond to any incident promptly and require quick and relevant information. These UAVs are a cost-effective option compared to manhours and help ensure public safety during investigations.

The Federal Aviation Administration provides limited authorization for UAVs in military and non-military operations. In California in 2016, about 20 law enforcement organizations from across the globe carried out an operational Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (SUAV) program in the US to encourage the use of UAVs in the maintenance of law and order. According to policeforum, 80% to 90% of police departments across the globe have low operational funds and prefer low-cost fixed-cost VTOL UAVs as an alternative to helicopters.

Challenge:Lack of proper air traffic management for UAVs

The ongoing programs to develop fixed-wing VTOL UAVs across different countries are progressing toward their operational applications, which is expected to an increase in their number. According to the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) (US), the use of UAVs in civil airspace is one of the significant challenges faced by the aviation industry in the country. Presently, commercial UAVs are prohibited from flying in civil airspace except for certain companies who have received exemptions to conduct tests or demonstration flights. For instance, in 2014, a leading Israel-based manufacturer of UAV simulators merged its UAV simulators with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulators of Adacel (Australia). This merger created an automated air traffic control environment for UAV simulation. It also provided an accurate and in-depth training environment for operators. In June 2019, AirMap (US), a leading Unmanned Traffic System provider, signed a strategic agreement with Raytheon Technologies Corporation (US) to work closely toward the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles into US commercial space.

Different air traffic management agencies across the globe need to establish common airworthiness requirements, air traffic regulations, standards, and derived procedures for the proper accommodation of these UAVs with minimal chances of collisions and accidents.     

Fixed-Wing Vtol Uav Market Ecosystem

Prominent companies and startups that provide fixed-wing VTOL UAVs and their services, distributors/suppliers/retailers, industrial sectors, and end customers are the key stakeholders in the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market ecosystem. Investors, funders, academic researchers, distributors, service providers, and industries using these UAVs serve as the major influencers in the market.

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The commercial application segment of the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2030

The fixed-wing VTOL UAV market has been segmented based on application, mode of operation, range, endurance, propulsion, MTOW, and region. Based on application, the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market has been classified into military, government & law enforcement, and commercial. The military application segment is expected to lead the fixed-wing VTOL market during the forecast period, which can be attributed to the increasing adoption of these UAVs in this application.

The <25 kilograms segment of the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market is estimated to have the largest share in 2022

Based on MTOW, the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market has been segmented in <25 kilograms, 25-170 kilograms, and >170 kilograms. The <25 kilograms segment is estimated to have the largest share in 2022. This can be attributed to the large number of manufacturers offering fixed-wing VTOL UAV products under this category as a large number of products required for commercial applications fall under this category.  

The >10 hours segment of the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market is estimated to have the highest CAGR during the forecasted period

Based on endurance, the fixed-wing VTOL UAV market has been segmented in <5 hours, 5-10 hours, and >10 hours. The >10 hours segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2030. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for high-endurance fixed-wing VTOL UAVs in military and commercial applications.

North America is estimated to have the largest market in 2022 for fixed-wing VTOL UAV

North America is estimated to be the largest market for fixed-wing VTOL UAVs in 2022, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. This is attributed to the high demand for fixed-wing VTOL UAVs from the US, for applications such as firefighting & disaster management, maritime security, agriculture, product delivery, and inspection & monitoring, among others.

Key Market Players 

The Fixed-wing VTOL UAV Companies are dominated by a few globally established players such as ALTI UAS (South Africa), Ukrspecsystems (Ukraine), Threod Systems (Estonia), Quantum Systems (Germany), Vertical Technologies (Netherlands), Aerovironment, Inc (US), Textron (US), Lockheed Martin (US), and Latitude Engineering (US).

ALTI UAS (South Africa) is one of the key players in this market. It offers a wide range of fixed-wing VTOL UAV with wide applications such as security & surveillance, mapping & photography, and agriculture, among others. Aerovironment, Inc (US) is another key manufacturer of these UAVs. The company offers products in this market for military applications. The company’s strategy for sustainable long-term growth involves undertaking joint ventures and partnerships.

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Scope of the Report

This research report categorizes the Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market based on MTOW, endurance, application, range, mode of operation, and propulsion type and region.

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By MTOW

• < 25 Kilograms
• 25-170 Kilograms
• > 170 kilograms

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By Endurance

• < 5 Hours
• 5-10 Hours
• > 10 Hours

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By Application

• Military
• Government & Law Enforcement
• Commercial

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By Propulsion Type

• Electric
• Gasoline
• Hybrid

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By Mode of Operation

• Remotely Piloted
• Optionally Piloted
• Fully Autonomous

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By Range

• Beyond Line of Sight
• Extended Visual Line of Sight
• Visual Line of Sight

Fixed wing VTOL UAV Market, By Region

• North America
•  Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Middle East
• Latin America
• Africa

Recent Developments

• In January 2021, The Indian Army signed a contract with IdeaForge to purchase ‘undisclosed quantities’ of SWITCH high-altitude UAVs, which were delivered in January 2022.
• In November 2019, ALTI UAS has launched a Search and Rescue version of the ALTI Transition VTOL UAV, which is designed for search and rescue missions. This VTOL UAV is compact, rapid, smart, advanced, and includes a unique vibration checking mount for the combustion engine, allowing up to 12 hours of durability per flight with a 900-km range.
• In May 2019, Arcturus UAV formed a joint venture with Textron (US) and Insitu (US) to provide JUMP 20, a fixed fixed-wing UAV capable of vertical take-off and landing.
• In March 2019, Vertical Technologies introduced the DeltaQuad Pro #INSPECT, a vertical take-off and landing drone (VTOL), which is designed for utilities, wildlife, and disaster inspection. This drone is capable of fully autonomous flight and can be deployed for powerline inspection, pipeline monitoring, vegetation control, wildlife monitoring, disaster area reconnaissance, and rail & road monitoring.
• In February 2018, UKRSPECSystems introduced the PD-1 VTOL module, which is controlled by autopilots and drones in the fully automatic mode. The PD-1 VTOL module supports a wide range of equipment such as SAR, LIDAR, and radio repeaters.

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