As per a report by the International Air Transport Association, the global volume of air freight is expected to witness exponential growth as total freight volumes surpassed 62 million metric tons in 2019 compared to 57 million metric tons in 2016.

Increased extremist activities

Additionally, increasing instances of extremist activities and drug trafficking have forced governments to adopt stricter security and screening measures involving substantial investments in developing and installing effective surveillance systems. For instance, in 2020, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG),through coordinated air surveillance, impounded contraband worth over USD 200 million. Although, high maintenance and operational costs incurred for contraband detectors may restrict the market's growth during the forecast period.

Tactical deployment set to disrupt the market

Based on screening type, the contraband detectors market has been categorised as people, baggage & cargo, and vehicle sectors. The baggage & cargo sector is projected to account for the largest share during the review period. Early adoption of the technology in the baggage & cargo segment and the use in theatres and malls have led to the growth of technologies in this segment. The advancements in material sensing and tactical deployment in sensitive areas are expected to revolutionise the contraband detectors market as well, with new technologies introduced, which will boost the reach and capacity of detectors globally. However, the vehicle segment is predicted to register the highest CAGR owing to the increasing adoption of this technology.

Based on the technology, the contraband detectors market has been categorised within the report as X-ray, metal detection, spectrometry & spectroscopy, and others. The X-ray segment dominated the market in 2019 owing largely to consumer preference as the technology and ease of adoption. Spectrometry & spectroscopy technology is also projected to witness increasing market share owing to growing awareness regarding the technology coupled with increasing tangible results presented through the extensive use of detection devices. The metal detection segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2021 to 2027, owing to the growing application of technology in airports, ports, and large social gathering venues.

North America strongest market

Regionally the report is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the rest of the world. North America, followed by Europe, is expected to be the largest market in the forecast period owing to the high concentration of market players and the abundant availability of competent technical expertise. Additionally, the increasing demand for operative contraband detectors and effective surveillance management of large events and the rising consumer interest in technologies in the region further drive the growth of the contraband detectors market. Additionally, the market in Asia-Pacific is projected to register a significant CAGR during the forecast period.

The prominent players in the global contraband detectors industry as cited by the researchers, are, Smiths Group, OSI Systems, Leidos, Nuctech, Metrasens, Adani Systems, Berkeley Varitronics Systems, CEIA, CSECO, and Godrej Security Solutions.