Wind Turbine Inspection Drones Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, Segmentation By Type (Fixed Wings Drone, Rotary Wings Drone and Others), By Application (Offshore Wind Energy, Onshore Wind Energy and Others) and Regional Forecast to 2032

Updated On: 10 June 2024

WIND TURBINE INSPECTION DRONES MARKET REPORT OVERVIEW

The global wind turbine inspection drones market size was USD 54930 million in 2022 and the market is projected to touch USD 154150 million by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.9% during the forecast period. 

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can examine wind turbines without the need for a human pilot are known as wind turbine inspection drones. The drone can record video and take pictures from various perspectives, giving the operator three-dimensional information on the state of the structure. The need for both onshore and offshore wind energy has grown in recent years as a result of economic and environmental issues, such as rising power prices and population growth, respectively. These two elements have prompted several governments worldwide to concentrate on renewable energy sources, including geothermal, hydroelectric, and solar energy.

COVID-19 Impact: COVID-19 Imparted Remote Monitoring Importance and Technology Adoption Accelerated the Market Growth 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with the market experiencing higher-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. The sudden market growth reflected by the rise in CAGR is attributable to market’s growth and demand returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Like many other industries, the drone business saw supply chain interruptions as a result of production limitations, lockdowns, and transportation issues. The manufacturing and shipping of drones used for wind turbine inspection may have been impacted by this. Positively, when social distancing measures and travel limitations constrained on-site workers, the need for remote monitoring and inspection solutions grew. This may have increased interest in using drones to examine vital infrastructure, such as wind turbines. In several industries, the epidemic hastened the introduction of technology. It's possible that businesses have come to understand the advantages of employing drones for inspections, which has raised interest in and funding for these technologies.

LATEST TRENDS

"Rising Focus on Inculcating Renewable Energy Sources to Tumble Up the Market Sales"

One of the main reasons propelling this market's growth is the growing emphasis that nations all over the world are placing on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. During the projection period, demand will be driven by major players' expenditures towards research & development efforts, which will aid in the generation of new products suitable for end-use applications across various regions.

WIND TURBINE INSPECTION DRONES MARKET SEGMENTATION

By Type

Based on type the global market can be categorized into fixed wings drone, rotary wing drone and others.

• Fixed Wings Drones: Drones with fixed wings has the benefit over those with rotary wings in that wind turbulence has less of an impact on their flight, allowing them to go great distances with great agility.

• Rotary Wing Drones: The newest kind of drones available on the market are those with rotary wings. Compared to other kinds, they have a lot of benefits, such fixed wings and others. A vehicle that employs many spinning blades for lift, push, or both to propel itself through the air is known as a rotary-winged aircraft. These can function at a standstill much like helicopters if necessary, but they are less effective than helicopters in vertical takeoffs and landings because each rotor supplies less power because it is moving at a slower speed than a standard propeller.

By Application

Based on application the global market can be categorized into offshore wind energy, onshore wind energy and others.

• Offshore Wind Energy: Drones for wind turbine inspection are specifically used by offshore wind farms for blade maintenance and site inspections. When surveying an offshore location, one benefit of employing a drone is that it may be done without much trouble because there are no time or weather restrictions, such as rain or severe winds.

• Onshore Wind Energy: Drones can be used to check onshore wind farms since onshore locations have turbines that can only reach a certain height. This makes inspection simpler and lowers the possibility of accidents like falling from a height, which happens frequently when inspectors scale towers to reach contemporary.

DRIVING FACTORS

"Rising Growth of Wind Energy Industry to Torment the Market Growth"

The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that the world population will increase from 7.4 billion in 2017 to 9 billion by 2040, with the global economy growing at an annual pace of 3.4%. This significant increase highlights the growing global need for energy. The offshore industries in China and Europe are driving a large portion of the enormous increase in the worldwide market for drones used for wind turbine inspection. Since onshore wind development has become more reliable and cost-effective, it has opened up a number of commercialization opportunities due to advancements in electronics and planning. Furthermore, the advancement of offshore wind development is enabled by large-scale power generating equipment with capacities greater than one megawatt. Offshore wind power has become easier to commercialize because to the rise of floating wind turbines.

Furthermore, the commercialization of these technologies has increased competition between wind power plants and traditional nuclear and fossil fuel power plants. The global market for wind turbine inspection drones is being driven by factors such as competitive pricing, advanced grid management, and easily accessible power storage solutions.

"Rising Demand for Innovative Software and Data Management Solutions to Ascend the Market Sales"

Modern inspection software and data management solutions are in high demand in the worldwide wind turbine inspection drone market. The sector has benefited from this increase in demand, which has improved inspection effectiveness, accuracy, and efficiency overall. Furthermore, the industry is seeing technical advancement due to the growing need for sophisticated inspection software and data management systems. Businesses are allocating resources to research and development (R&D) in order to create more complex software with cutting-edge features like remote collaboration capabilities, real-time monitoring, and three-dimensional (3D) modeling.

Furthermore, advances provide operators with a more complete and user-friendly toolbox for the administration and analysis of inspection data, in addition to enhancing the capabilities of inspection drones. As a result, throughout the forecast period, these factors are anticipated to increase demand for wind turbine inspection drones, consequently driving the growth of the worldwide wind turbine inspection drones market.

RESTRAINING FACTOR

"Technical Limitations and Reliability Issues in Drone Systems to Deprive the Market Growth"

Due to drone system dependability issues and technological constraints, the worldwide market for wind turbine inspection drones has suffered. These difficulties have caused obstacles and raised worries since they have hindered the inspection drones' general acceptance and effectiveness in the wind energy sector. The limited range and short battery life of inspection drones are two of the main technological drawbacks. Furthermore, problems with drone system dependability make it more difficult to use inspection drones efficiently. Drone systems are complex, with many moving parts, propellers, data sensors, navigation systems, and motors. Any of these parts failing or malfunctioning might result in mishaps, crashes, or inconsistent data. As a result, the above factors are expected to impede the wind turbine inspection drones market growth under consideration throughout the projected timeframe. 

WIND TURBINE INSPECTION DRONES MARKET REGIONAL INSIGHTS

The market is primarily segregated into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.

"Asia Pacific Owing to Enhanced Focus on Renewable Energy to Dominate the Market Growth" 

Asia Pacific to lead the wind turbine inspection drones market share because of the increased emphasis on wind energy and other renewable energy sources. The majority of the installations in the region are accounted for by China and India. In terms of overall wind capacity, India ranks second among the countries in Asia-Pacific. India increased its wind capacity by 1.45 GW in 2021, a 30% YoY increase from the 1.11 GW built in 2020, according to statistics released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Furthermore, because of favorable government laws, the drone industry for wind turbine inspection in India has enormous potential. The Indian government has enacted a number of economic measures, including the easing of excise and custom duty rates and the elimination of up to 80% of sales tax, in order to encourage the development of wind power plants. Furthermore, government attempts to construct renewable power projects, particularly onshore wind farms, have accelerated even further due to the fact that in some parts of the country, the contract costs for generating electricity from solar and wind energy are lower than those for coal. Consequently, over the projection period, it is anticipated that the region's governments would take more steps to expand the deployment of drones for wind turbine inspection.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

"Key Industry Players Shaping the Market through Innovation and Market Expansion"

Important industry players have a big impact on the market and are crucial in determining customer preferences and market dynamics. These major firms provide consumers easy access to a vast array of clothing alternatives through their huge retail networks and online platforms. Product adoption has increased as a result of their strong worldwide presence and well-known brand, which has also enhanced consumer trust and loyalty. These industry titans also consistently fund R&D, bringing cutting-edge designs, materials, and clever features to wind turbine inspection drones to meet changing customer demands and preferences. These big businesses' combined efforts have a big impact on the market's future direction and level of competition.

List of Market Players Profiled

• Aeryon Labs (Canada)

• Cyberhawk Innovations (U.K.)

• Hexagon (Sweden)

• Strat Aero (Malaysia)

• UpWind Solutions (U.S.)

• AIRPIX (India)

• Aerialtronics (Netherlands)

• AeroVision (Canada)

• AutoCopter (U.S.)

• DJI (China)

• Parrot (France).

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

• December 2023: The two main business sectors of Hexagon AB are Industrial Enterprise Solutions and Geospatial Enterprise Solutions.[3]Eight internal divisions are listed on the business's website: Agriculture, Asset Lifecycle Intelligence, Autonomy & Positioning, Geosystems, Manufacturing Intelligence, Mining, Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial, and Xalt Solutions. The company is further divided into divisions. Hexagon executed more than 170 acquisitions between 2000 and 2022.

REPORT COVERAGE 

The report includes a thorough SWOT analysis and offers predictions for market growth in the future. It explores a broad range of market categories and possible applications that might have an impact on the market's trajectory in the upcoming years, as well as key aspects that contribute to the market's growth. The research provides a comprehensive overview of the market's components and identifies possible growth opportunities by taking into account both historical turning points and present trends.