Outdoor Inspection Drone Market is expected to reach US$22.90 Billion by 2031

Surging Demand in the Security and Surveillance Fuels the Outdoor Inspection Drone Market Growth   

According to our latest study, “Outdoor Inspection Drone Market Size and Forecast (2021–2031), Global and Regional Share, Trend, and Growth Opportunity Analysis – by Type, Operation Mode, End-Use Industry and Geography," the market was valued at US$7.73 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$22.90 billion by 2031; it is estimated to register a CAGR of 16.9% during 2025–2031. The report includes growth prospects owing to current outdoor inspection drone market trends and their foreseeable impact during the forecast period.    

Reducing Maintenance Costs with High-Efficiency Outdoor Inspection Drones drives the outdoor inspection drone market growth.

Outdoor inspection drones, in real terms, have become the game-changers that have contributed to the increase in operational efficiency level and cost reduction in the energy sector and other high-value industries such as utilities and infrastructure over the last few years. Besides the fact that traditional inspection methods, such as scaffolding, rope access, and the use of manned aircraft, are costly and take up a lot of time, they are also dangerous and usually require a long period during which the asset is not operational. In comparison, drones can be used for quick, nonintrusive, and repeatable checks of outdoor equipment in any situation, which thus results in the drastic reduction of inspection cycles and costs. An impactful event was the case when Aker Solutions performed the world's first drone inspection beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) over the Edvard Grieg platform at Aker BP in the North Sea on June 2, 2025. The drone, which was stationed on the platform and remotely operated from an onshore control center in Stavanger, flew around the site, capturing images and gathering data using wearable technology for the detection of wear, corrosion, and structural anomalies. Joachim Hovland, Head of Drones & Robotics, said that therefore the utilization of such an arrangement makes it possible to cut down the costs of inspection by as much as 70% and also to provide the required insights within a few hours instead of the manual inspection days previously necessary.

Outdoor Inspection Drone Market Analysis — by Geography

Source: The Insight Partners Analysis

he report includes the outdoor inspection drone market forecast by type, operation mode, and end-use industry. Based on type, the global outdoor inspection drone market is segmented into fixed-wing drones, rotary-wing drones, and hybrid drones. Fixed-wing drones occupy a prominent place in the outdoor inspection drone market share of inspection drones owing to their long-endurance flight, large coverage area, and high energy efficiency over multi-rotor drones. These drones are well adapted to the inspection of large infrastructure such as pipelines, power lines, and railways, where there is a need for long-endurance and rapid coverage. Fixed-wing drones have the aerodynamic shape to glide smoothly, facilitating data collection across long distances. Though they need more room to take off and land, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology improvements reduce these shortcomings.

The scope of the outdoor inspection drone market report focuses on North America (the US, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Spain, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (South Korea, China, India, Japan, Australia, and the Rest of Asia Pacific), the Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Rest of the Middle East & Africa), and South & Central America (Brazil, Argentina, and the Rest of South & Central America). North America dominated the market in 2024, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe.

The outdoor inspection drone market in North America is segmented into the US, Canada, and Mexico. In terms of revenue, the US held the largest outdoor inspection drone market share in North America. The outdoor drone inspection market for the US is a very mature one and is also very dynamic. It benefits a wide range of industries, such as energy, infrastructure, and industrial sectors, which have adopted this technology. Utility companies operate drones to inspect high-voltage transmission lines and substations, while oil and gas operators employ them to facilitate the inspection of pipelines, flare stacks, and remote facilities. The deteriorating condition of the infrastructure has become instrumental in this whole process. The bridges, power lines, and other assets that are getting old have made it necessary for operators to demand drones to provide them with the safety, speed, and cost-effectiveness of their inspections.

The innovation ecosystem is robust, with advancements in AI-enabled analytics, sensor payloads, and autonomous flight systems driving forward inspection capabilities. Also, support from the FAA (eg, Part 107 waivers, BVLOS) allows nonvisual close to long-distance inspections. Hence, it is this confluence of factors—demand for infrastructure, technological readiness, and regulatory progress—that is driving the healthy outdoor inspection drone market growth in the US.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a new proposed regulation in August 2025 entitled "Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)." It would permit daily commercial drone BVLOS operations more seamless than the current scenario, where case-by-case waivers are required, and operations close to the 400 feet above ground level can be conducted. Furthermore, the rule specifies the safety measures for the production, the performance of the operations, and the management of the air traffic; thus, reforms resulting from the implementation work will lead to opening up the facilities of energy, bridges, and even very remote sites for inspection.Terra Drone Corp.; ScoutDI AS, Flyability SA; Flybotix SA; Voliro AG, Skydio, Inc.; SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd; AeroVironment Inc; Parrot SA, and Delair SAS are among the key players profiled in the outdoor inspection drone market report. Other players were also studied and analyzed during the market study to get a holistic view of the market and its ecosystem.

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