With the increasing adoption of drones in various public safety applications, including disaster management, search, and rescue operations, surveillance, and incident response, the market has witnessed significant growth and technological advancements. By harnessing the power of drones, public safety organisations can revolutionise emergency response efforts, minimize risks, and better protect and serve the communities they serve.

Rotary wing drones more agile

Based on the platform, the public safety drone market has been classified into fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and hybrid-wing. The rotary wing segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This is due to rotary-wing drones being extremely manoeuvrable, with the ability to hover, rise, descend, and fly in any direction. Because of their agility, they can negotiate complicated environments such as metropolitan areas, heavily populated regions, or limited spaces, making them ideal for search and rescue missions, law enforcement operations, and disaster relief efforts.

Small drones will lead the market

Based on the Platform, the public safety drone market is classified into Microdrones (250gm-2Kg) and small drones (2kg- 25Kg). Small drones are expected to lead the markets during the forecast period due to small drones are lightweight and portable, making them quick to deploy and providing immediate aerial surveillance and situational awareness during emergency situations. They have lower acquisition costs and require less infrastructure for deployment, such as runways or hangars. Small drones can be used to minimize risks to law enforcement officers and public safety personnel. They can assess hazardous situations remotely, monitor dangerous areas, and gather information before sending personnel into potentially high-risk environments.

Fully-autonomous will be in the near future

Based on operational mode, the public safety drone market has been classified into semi-autonomous and fully autonomous. The semi-autonomous segment of the public safety drone market is projected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the cost-effective usage of public safety drones in several applications ranging from border management to surveys. Also, semi-autonomous public safety drones deliver high manoeuvrability and are equipped with advanced technologies. They have comparatively low maintenance costs. These drones are anticipated to be substituted by fully autonomous public safety drones in the coming years as they have high payload capacity, enhanced propulsion power, and long endurance, as well as can operate without any human involvement.

India is a flourishing market with less regulation

Asia Pacific Region is expected to have the highest CAGR in the public safety drone Market during the forecast period. This can be attributed to innovations in UAV technology, low-cost manufacturing of UAV parts, and increased demand for patrolling at crowded locations. The prevailing trends of automation in India, Australia, and China and the ongoing globalisation are also fueling the growth of the public safety drone market in the Asia Pacific. Public safety drones are being increasingly used in border management, traffic monitoring, firefighting, search & rescue operations, and maritime security in China and Japan. The public safety drone ecosystem requires political support to promote the use of semi-autonomous and autonomous drones in various applications. Currently, public safety drones are in the race to gain political and financial support from the governments of various countries in Asia Pacific. China is the powerhouse of APAC and has a stable government. Regulations regarding the public use of drones are very strict in the country. India, the largest democracy in the world, is a favourable place to start a business and offers more political freedom than China. With the increase in commercial applications of drones and the rise in agriculture spending in India, the market for UAVs is flourishing in India. In Australia, urban renewal and decentralisation, along with the strategic planning of the transport infrastructure, are the focus of the government of the country for facilitating deliveries through drones.

Key players

DJI and Autel Robotics both from China, Skydio Inc and Teledyne Flir of the US, and Parrot Drone SAS from France, are cited as key players in the public safety drone market by the analysts. These companies have mainly resorted to contracts to drive their growth along with launching technologically advanced and cost-effective products.