Worldwide spending for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) will double over the next decade, rising from $5.2 billion in 2014 to $11.9 billion in 2023, predict analysts at market researcher the Teal Group Corp.Teal analysts released their latest worldwide UAS forecast last week at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) 2013 conference and trade show in Washington.
UAS research throughout the world will increase from $1.9 billion in 2014 to $4 billion in 2023, while procurement will increase from $5.2 million next year to $7.6 million in 2023.
The U.S. military will lead the world in UAS research and procurement spending over the next decade, accounting for 65 percent of the UAS research and 51 percent of the UAS procurement. The Asia-Pacific region will be second in UAS spending, while Europe will be third, Teal analysts say.
Medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAS, such as the U.S. MQ-1 Predator, will account for the lion’s share of spending over the next decade with a total of $15.5 billion from 2014 to 2023. Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) will total $9.9 billion; high-altitude long-endurance UAS will account for $9.4 billion; tactical UAS (TUAS) like the U.S. Shadow, will total $5.1 billion; naval UAS will account for $4.4 billion in spending; mini UAVs will account for $1.3 billion in spending; while small tactical UAS (STUAS) like the U.S. Integrator will total $1 billion, Teal analysts say.
The forecast expects a drop in U.S. mini UAS acquisition over the period as combat operations wide down in Iraq and Afghanistan; those conflicts have had a significant effect on unit numbers, though not in dollar values, analysts sa.
Worldwide, for example, 22,010 mini UAVs will be purchased over the next decade with a dollar value of $1.3 billion. Over the next decade worldwide, 2,259 STUAS will be purchased; 1,695 TUAVs will be purchased; followed by 828 MALE UAS, 436 naval UAS, 105 HALE UAS and 87 UCAS, analysts say.
UAS continue to be one of the most dynamic growth sectors in the world aerospace industry, Teal experts say. In the U.S., particularly, UAS are a key element in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, while the use of hunter-killer UAS is expanding.
This UAS forecast is part of the Teal Group’s tenth edition of the World Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems, Market Profile and Forecast 2013.
Source: Avionics Intelligence