Military UAV Sensor Market Research Report: Information by UAV Type (HALE, MALE, Tactical, and Small), Sensor Type (Radar Sensor, Image Sensor, Motion & Position Sensor, and Others), Technology Type (CMOS, MEMS, NEMS, and Others), Application (Collision Avoidance, Navigation, 3D Scanner, Data Acquisition, LIDAR, and Others), and Region (North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America)—Forecast till 2027

Military UAV Sensor Market Scenario

The sensor is a device that detects physical input, such as light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure, or any other entity, and responds by producing an output on display or transmits the information in electronic form for further processing. Sensors are used in unmanned aerial vehicles to cater different functions such as navigation, collision avoidance, and data acquisition. Image sensor systems are currently trending in the market and are expected to be of significant importance, particularly in battlefield monitoring. Another important application of the UAV sensors is laser scanning, which covers large areas of terrains, such as steep gullies and cliffs, which is widely used due to its high accuracy in measuring distance.

Of late, high investments are being made in the development of military UAVs, which would witness rapid growth during the forecast period. However, one of the major restraints of the market is the stringent regulations made by the local aviation regulatory bodies. Moreover, in recent years, the defense sectors of various countries are making significant investments to increase their Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) fleet. The benefit of sensor technologies is that they help in improving the overall UAV architecture.

Therefore, it is important for UAV manufacturers to have competent sensors technology in unmanned aerial vehicles. For instance, in 2017, Raytheon signed a contract with the US Department of Defense (DoD), to modify and retrofit the sensors on the Global Hawk UAV. Similarly, in 2016, TE Connectivity acquired Jaquet Technology Group, to design and develop sensors for military applications. The acquisition helped the company to acquire expertise in sensor technologies. The increasing investments in military UAVs, such as combat drones, will offer new growth opportunities to the market players.

One of the factors responsible for the growth of the military UAV sensor market is the increasing number of military drones, such as combat drones, tactical drones, and target drones. The sensor market is dominated by the electronics industry. Companies are strategically setting up their electronic manufacturing plants in the Asia Pacific region to avail various benefits, such as low cost of raw materials and availability of cheap labor. There were several contracts that fueled market growth. For instance, in 2017, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. signed a contract with Defense Innovation Unit Experimental for the integration of certain sensors in high-speed drones.

The military UAV sensor market has been segmented into UAV type, sensor type, technology type, application, and region. Based on UAV type, the High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs are widely used and comprise the largest share in the market due to enhanced flying capability and high endurance. HALE UAV can fly as high as 60,000 feet and are durable for a 32-hour mission. Based on sensor type, it is expected that the radar sensors are expected to witness the largest demand in the global market, during the forecast period, due to increasing adoption of radar sensors for various applications.

Segmentation of the Global Military UAV Sensor Market

Radar sensors can transmit radio frequency and interpret the return frequency to understand the earth’s surface properties. Radar sensors provide unique advantages in varied applications in aerospace & defense. Based on application, the navigation market segment is expected to account for the largest market share due to the increased usage of the inertial sensor in the architecture of unmanned aerial vehicles. As inertial sensors are worked on the principle of gyroscope to navigate and estimate the properties of the terrain.

Based on technology, Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) are expected to dominate the market during the forecast period, as it is comprising the pressure sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, pressure sensor, and biosensor for guiding, navigating, and controlling an autonomous UAV.  Additionally, it consumes less power and has high navigation sensitivity, which makes UAV applicable for extremely demanding applications and environment.

Based on region, the market has been segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is expected to dominate the market in the future, due to its high deployment of UAVs for military applications. As a result, there is a large-scale development of sensors, such as image sensor, radar sensor, motion sensor, and optical sensor, which are integrated with UAV. Asia-Pacific is expected to follow North America due to the recent investments by companies on R&D and expanding electronics industry. Thus, the global military UAV sensor market is estimated to witness rapid growth, at a CAGR of approximately 6% from 2018 to 2025.

Intended Audience

• UAV manufacturers


• Drone service providers


• Software developers


• Component providers


• Regulatory bodies


• Government authorities


• Research institutes


• Regulatory bodies

Key Players

The key players in the global military UAV sensor market are TE Connectivity (Switzerland), Raytheon Company (US), Thales Group (France), Lockheed Martin (US), AeroVironment (US), General Atomics (US), FLIR Systems (US), Elbit Systems (Israel), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), Honeywell International Inc. (US), and Safran Electronics & Defense (France).

Research Methodology

The market values and forecasts are derived using MRFR research methodology, which includes secondary research, primary interviews, data triangulation, and validation from an in-house data repository and statistical modeling tools.

Secondary Research

In this process, data is collected from various secondary sources, including annual reports, SEC filings, journals, government associations, aerospace & defense magazines, white papers, corporate presentations, company websites, and paid databases.

Primary Research

In this process, both the demand- and supply-side parties are interviewed to extract facts and insights into the market forecast, production, trends, and projected market growth. Industry stakeholders such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and marketing executives across the value chain are approached to obtain key information.

Key Insights

• Market sizing, forecast, and analysis: detailed coverage of the market segment and sub-segments


• Regional/country trends and forecast: detailed analysis of the market in North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America, along with key countries in each region


• Market dynamics intelligence: market drivers, opportunities, trends, restraints, Porter’s five forces, supply chain, and value chain analysis


• Technology trends, regulatory landscape, and patent analysis outlook


• Competitive intelligence: market share analysis, financial analysis, product benchmarking, and strategic developments including joint ventures, product launches, and mergers & acquisitions


• Regional attractiveness and related growth opportunities