Aerial Imaging Market

Market Overview

The global aerial imaging market size was valued at USD $2.20 billion in 2022. It is expected to reach USD $8.12 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 15.57% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

Aerial imaging is taking pictures of the ground using cameras mounted on aircraft, helicopters, parachutes, aircraft, kites, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), balloons, vehicle-mounted poles, and airships, among other types of vehicles. Aerial imaging aids in risk reduction, resource planning, mapping, research and excavation, security and surveillance, urban planning, engineering, farming management, tourism, and other areas. Fixed-wing aircraft, multi-rotor unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), helicopters, balloons, parachutes, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, kites, vehicle-mounted poles, and standalone telescoping are just a few examples of the various tools or gadgets used for aerial photography. Aerial photography offers very accurate and cost-effective options for route planning, volume estimates, and mapping updates.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

• Rising Demand from Diversified Applications

Mapping and GIS, geomarketing and advertising, navigation, emergency and safety, sports, augmented reality/games, enterprise applications, mHealth, personal tracking, and social networking are just a few of the many applications for aerial imaging. These applications were all specifically created to meet various requirements and usage scenarios. In order to plan land-use projects, environmental studies, movie production, archaeology, oil and gas surveying, surveillance, power line inspection, commercial advertising, and even art projects, aerial imaging market vendors use vertical and oblique photographs. Oil and gas line breaks, water, and archaeological features can all be found using oblique and vertical images. In addition, targets can be located using aerial images during the war. The use cases for this specialized technology are expanding due to drone technology advancements.

• Growing Adoption by Various Governments and Agencies

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the aerial imaging industry has been expanding internationally. The aerial imaging market has developed significantly during the COVID-19 outbreak thanks primarily to incorporating aerial imaging tools into the traditional systems for land surveying and inspection purposes. In order to gather precise surveying data and construct modular hospitals for the victims, aerial imaging has become essential. The surveying procedure is quick, effective, and secure; as a result, it is the technology of choice during the pandemic. 

Furthermore, the government uses aerial imaging technology to survey and map land administration plans and projects. The Svamitva Scheme, for instance, was introduced by the Government of India (GoI) on April 24, 2020. The program's goal is to provide rural India with an integrated solution for property validation. The technology partner for the scheme's implementation has been Survey of India. The plan is especially beneficial in developing survey infrastructure and geographic information system (GIS) maps that various government departments and agencies may use as required.

Market Restraints

• Privacy and Security Issues

Commercial drones and UAV technology available off the shelf seriously threaten businesses, governments, and the general public. Although there are many good reasons to use these platforms, like all technologies, they can also be used for sabotage, covert surveillance, and armed attacks. UAVs and drones can be employed for evil purposes by terrorist groups, transnational criminal organizations, and lone actors. These platforms' capabilities keep expanding thanks to their greater ranges, longer flight times, and higher payload capacities. These platforms are a form of connected device as well, gathering and transmitting data for analysis, which has implications for the security and hackability of the devices.

Market Opportunities

• Growth of Location-based Services

GPS is used in aerial imaging to help with location accuracy. For instance, farmers can use GPS targeting to track the health of their crops, spot problem areas, and apply fertilizer. Aerial imaging's accuracy helps with energy and power site management because it allows for more precise targeting and weather damage repair. Location-based mobile advertising is one of many new cloud-based services that aim to inform, notify, and navigate. In addition, high-resolution aerial imagery is now widely acknowledged as a cost-effective solution to marketing, sales, and service issues. Location-based aerial imaging services make it simple for insurance companies to verify claims data alongside property features, which is necessary for accurate and efficient claims management. 

Aerial imaging has been used more frequently recently to provide precise location information for various purposes thanks to geospatial technology. Aerial photos and geospatial data are increasingly being used critically in the defense and security sector. For information and entertainment, location-based services are becoming more and more popular with regular people, which will likely create new growth opportunities for the market during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

North America Dominates the Global Market

By regions, the global aerial imaging market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World.

North America is the most significant contributor to the global aerial imaging market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.77% during the forecast period. Due to the extensive research conducted by regional businesses and the growing adoption of the technologies among regional end-user industries, North America is one of the major investors and adopters of the studied market. Aerial imaging pulls information on land cover, vegetation, soil, and geology maps using spatial data from orthographic images. Aerial imaging is also used in government-based projects like managing disaster and emergency response, studying the environment, managing inland and property information, and archaeology. Aerial imaging is then used to provide the necessary plans, maps, and forecasts for accurately portraying the earth's surface. Additionally, engineers, planners, and developers are increasingly interested in using aerial imaging for land mapping and development. Market expansion is the primary driver of the increased use of aerial imaging platforms in forestry, military, disaster management, and urban planning applications.

Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.62% during the forecast period. Aerial photography and videography have been revolutionized by UAVs, which are now used for various purposes, including scientific research, stunt filming, security, and mapping. In Europe, the market for aerial imaging is expanding. With the aid of platforms like drones, UAVs, and others, it is one of the crucial sectors used in various applications such as mapping, security, content creation, stable images, video, and others. UAVs have transformed still photo and video capture for many industries since their inception. Drone photographs are already a regular feature of sports broadcasting and movie production since they are undetected and can approach close to the action, enabling overhead shots or close-ups of the action without the necessity (or price) of a helicopter. 

In addition, a new Danish drone traffic control platform has been put in place due to anticipated growth to meet the demand for safe and efficient drone traffic management throughout the entire interaction with general air traffic. There is a growing need for drones in 

Europe due to the emergence of numerous drone services and businesses. Further, EASA, the agency responsible for the aviation safety of the European Union, predicts that by 2025 there will be 200,000 drones flying continuously over the continent.
Asia-Pacific is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. Due to their increasing cost, portability, and wireless mobile connectivity, drones are now being used by businesses in addition to consumers and hobbyists. Among the possible uses are those in the mining, infrastructure, building, agriculture, media and entertainment, insurance, transportation, and logistics industries. For aerial imaging, airborne devices such as balloons, drones, planes, and helicopters are used. Aerial imaging is essential for topographical mapping and location interpretation for planning and analysis. It offers vital information for applications such as urban planning, forestry, conservation, asset monitoring, habitat protection, and precision agriculture. 

Additionally, agriculture drone technology targets SME farms and specialty crops and opens new markets for crop intelligence services and leasing of agricultural drone aircraft. Government assistance and financial incentives are accelerating the adoption of agricultural drones. The pace, scope, and type of agricultural drones to be adopted in various market contexts will be determined by the regulatory environment for commercial drones and agriculture drone operation in areas such as quality and safety, operator certification, and insurance requirements for each country's market.

The Rest of the World includes Latin America, the Middle East, and other areas. Aerial imagery is used by a variety of industries, including those related to oil and gas, energy, power, utilities, solar, roads and infrastructure, transportation, buildings, the built environment, historic sites, and monuments. Aerial photography will become increasingly important in geospatial mapping, especially for 2D mapping and 3D modeling. In order to produce ortho mosaics, contour maps, planimetric features, 3D vegetation modeling, and other products, aerial imagery is frequently used in agriculture.

Segmental Analysis

The global aerial imaging market is segmented by platform type, application, and end-user industry.

Based on the Platform Type

The global aerial imaging market is bifurcated into fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs/drones.

The UAV/drones segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.55% during the forecast period. An industry constantly expanding is the ability to use aerial imagery to record and assess situations and conditions on the ground. This growth is primarily attributable to the proliferation of UAVs and drones and easy online and on-demand access to the imagery. A drone's greater cost-effectiveness is one of its key advantages. End-users must factor in fuel costs and maintenance fees when using aircraft. In addition, they must pay for hangar space, insurance, and other costs. 

Furthermore, operating a drone is much less expensive as service charges are consequently much lower. One of the best reasonably priced aerial imaging options as UAVs or drones. UAVs can use a less expensive camera and typically offer higher resolution imagery than fixed-wing airplanes because they can fly at a lower altitude. UAV operators can offer their clients the same outputs as aircraft at a lower cost thanks to these lower operating expenses. Additionally, UAVs can be sent out immediately, with post-processing finished and delivered in a day.

Right aerial imagery providers fly fixed-wing aircraft equipped with cutting-edge technology that can provide remarkably high resolution and efficiently cover vast distances. Fixed-wing aircraft can travel farther and faster. That is a lot of visual data, elevations, and other geographic data that could have been collected relatively quickly. Additionally, manned fixed-wing aircraft are more resistant to wind and weather. In areas with sustained winds of more than 35 mph, imagery is frequently required. Due to unmanned aircraft's operational restrictions, most UAVs cannot operate in these types of winds.

Based on the Application

The global aerial imaging market is bifurcated into geospatial mapping, infrastructure planning, asset inventory management, environmental monitoring, national and urban mapping, surveillance and monitoring, and disaster management.

The geospatial mapping segment owns the highest market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.44% during the forecast period. Spatial analysis can be done using geospatial mapping. This method uses sophisticated software that uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze data from geographical or terrestrial databases. In contrast to geospatial mapping, traditional mapping provides the digital user with user-specific data to create a custom map. In addition, businesses increasingly use geospatial technology to gather maps and remote sensing data and create location-specific business models. For instance, GIS technologies benefit the real estate sector by enabling prospective buyers to comprehend the location more thoroughly. Since these platforms use numerous map layers, users can obtain information about the distances to and from nearby amenities, school districts, and other region-specific details.

The systematic, ongoing gathering and analysis of data and timely communication of information to key stakeholders, especially those in a position to act, constitute surveillance. The practice of closely observing a group of people, actions, behaviors, a building, an infrastructure, or anything else in order to manage, influence, direct, or safeguard it. Numerous surveillance methods include GPS tracking, camera surveillance, and stake-outs. Data mining, profiling, and biometric monitoring are additional options. In addition, security and surveillance are two of the UAV sector's fastest-growing subsectors. Drones to provide aerial assessments of on-the-ground activities are a return to form for the technology, which has seen some of its most ambitious development in defense applications, despite being a relatively new addition to many industries' enterprise toolkits.

Based on the End-User Industry

The global aerial imaging market is bifurcated into construction, aerospace and defense, government, oil and gas, energy and power, and agriculture.

The government segment is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.94% during the forecast period. Aerial imaging is necessary for many municipal, state, and federal planning objectives. The creation of maps now requires aerial photography more than ever. Aerial images represent a place's physical and cultural landscape at a particular time. These aerial pictures, when properly interpreted, provide geographers, historians, ecologists, geologists, urban planners, archaeologists, and other professionals with a visual basis that is frequently crucial to their studies. In addition, legal professionals are increasingly using aerial photography to resolve cases involving real estate disputes, riparian rights, and rights-of-way for transportation. Genealogists have recently used aerial photography to pinpoint and identify ancestral sites. The number of government departments with drone programs and the variety of drone applications is rapidly growing. Furthermore, innovative government agencies and departments are experimenting with new work areas, from public works and transportation to planning and environmental services.

The ability to access imagery on demand is one of the most distinctive and revolutionary features of aerial imaging, which has been around for decades. Aerial imagery enables construction companies and government planning teams to acquire a complete picture of a project before setting foot on the job site. Given the increased need for social isolation and remote capability during this pandemic, aerial imaging offers construction contractors several important benefits. Daily accounts are being made for the widespread use of commercial drones across various industries; however, a current investigation has found that UAV development in the construction industry is accelerating quickly.

Recent Developments

January 2023- Airbus plans to spin off Zephyr, its high-altitude drone program, to create a standalone telecom and earth observation business that will start commercial operations by the end of next year.

January 2023- Eagle View True Design, the best photovoltaic (PV) design solutions for pre- and post-sale, are available through the Enerflo Platform, a market-leading sale and install software platform for residential solar installers, EPCs, and sales dealers.