AUVSI And Danish Technological Institute Report Finds Research, Innovation Driving Increased UAS Operations

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) today released a new report, “Global Trends of Unmanned Aerial Systems.” The report, which analyzes data from AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems and Robotics Database, finds that 80 percent of patents associated with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technologies have been published since 2016, demonstrating the exponential growth of the unmanned systems industry.

“It is an exciting time for the UAS industry, which is reflected in the sheer number of new technologies entering the market,” said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of AUVSI. “In order to harness this innovation and help keep the U.S. competitive as the global UAS market continues to emerge, we need a streamlined regulatory environment that allows for expanded operations and would enable even more transformative uses of this technology.”

“The global growth in UAS technologies is remarkable and paints a picture of technology developers, investors and governments with great confidence in a solid and growing UAS commercial market in the years to come,” said Stig Yding Sørensen, Senior Specialist at Danish Technological Institute. “Civilian use of UAS is still in the early stages, and flight times, operational range, safety, operating systems, load capacity, etc., can still be improved. European legislation is being adapted on a regular basis but will inevitably lag behind technological developments.”

Findings in the report, which provides a snapshot of the capabilities and technological specifications of UAS, include:

Nearly 80 percent of the 2,185 platforms analyzed are used in the civil market, while 65 percent are used for commercial purposes.
The United States leads the way in developing UAS platforms (628 unique models), followed by China (309) and France (114).
Roughly half of the platforms analyzed can be used for precision agriculture purposes, such as monitoring crop health and irrigation.
Nearly 1,350 of the platforms analyzed can assist in search and rescue operations after natural disasters. These platforms have greater than average speed and endurance capabilities to help improve the success of their searches for survivors.

“The development of UAS platforms is crucial, but the huge commercial value lies in their integration with other advanced technologies,” added Sørensen. “A camera is still the most common piece of equipment and is used by photographers and others to record films and take photos. However, it is integration with smart technologies, such as sensors, connection to the internet, use of artificial intelligence and managing tools, that can create serious value. It gives new perspectives for almost all parts of trade and industry.”

Manufacturers and end-users from the sectors detailed in the report will be on display at XPONENTIAL 2019 in Chicago from April 30 to May 2, 2019. The exhibit hall will showcase 700 cutting-edge companies from around the world and more than 150 sessions of educational programming, providing information about the future of unmanned systems policy, technology and business solutions.

(Graphic provided with AUVSI news release)

FMI: www.xponential.org