California is one of the largest drone markets in the United States, gathering many leading drone manufacturers and service providers. Some of the companies with a significant presence in the California drone market include DJI, Parrot, 3DR, Intel, and Skydio, among others.
According to a report by Teal Group, the U.S. drone market is expected to grow from $6.4 billion in 2020 to $12.5 billion in 2025, at a compound annual growth rate of 14.3%. California is the largest state in terms of the number of registered drones, with more than 285,000 registered drones as of January 2021, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The California drone market is driven by several factors, such as the state's large tech industry, innovation and entrepreneurial culture, and a favorable regulatory environment for drone operations. So which drone manufacturer can survive in such a competitive industry?
Skydio is a drone manufacturer that specializes in the autonomous design and development of drones. The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.
Skydio's drones are designed to be fully autonomous, meaning they can fly and avoid obstacles without a human operator. These drones are equipped with advanced sensors and computer vision technology, allowing them to navigate complex environments and track objects with high precision.
Skydio's drones have a variety of applications, including inspection and surveillance, search and rescue, and cinematography. The company's products are used by many organizations, including police departments, fire departments, and film production companies.
UVify is a drone manufacturer that designs and manufactures high-performance drones for professional and recreational use. The company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
UVify's drones are known for their speed, agility, and versatility, making them ideal for a variety of applications such as motorsports, filmmaking, and search and rescue. The company's products include Draco, a high-performance racing drone, and Oori, a compact, portable drone designed for beginners and hobbyists.
One of the unique features of UVify drones is their modular design, which allows users to easily replace components and upgrade the drone as technology advances. The company also offers a range of accessories and customization options that allow users to tailor the drone to their specific needs and preferences.
Kespry is a drone manufacturer based in Menlo Park, California, USA. Founded in 2013, the manufacturer has grown to become a leading provider of drone-based aerial intelligence and analysis solutions to a range of industries. In addition to its headquarters in Menlo Park, Kespry has offices in Canada and Australia serving clients worldwide.
One of Kespry's drone products is the Kespry Drone 2.0, which is designed for the mining, aggregate, and construction industries. It is a fixed-wing UAV capable of capturing high-resolution aerial imagery and terrain data, as well as performing volumetric calculations and asset inspections. Kespry Drone 2.0 is also equipped with advanced sensors and data analysis tools that allow for highly accurate data capture and analysis.
AeroVironment is a technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), tactical missile systems, and other advanced technologies. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in California, USA.
Aero is a drone manufacturer, and one of its drone products is the Raven, a small, hand-launched UAS used for reconnaissance and surveillance. The Raven is designed for ease of operation and can be started and operated by one operator. It has a range of up to 10km and a flight time of up to 60–90 minutes, depending on conditions.
Another drone product from AeroVironment is the Puma, a larger UAS designed for long-range reconnaissance and surveillance missions. Puma can be launched by hand or from a bouncy launcher with a range of up to 20 kilometers. It can fly for up to 2-3 hours, depending on conditions, and is equipped with advanced features such as stabilized electro-optical and infrared cameras.
GoPro, known for its action cameras, has also entered the drone market with its product called Karma and has gradually become a drone manufacturer. For this purpose, it has produced a drone called Karma, which is a foldable drone designed to be portable and easy to use. It comes with a detachable camera gimbal that holds a GoPro camera, allowing users to capture high-quality aerial footage.
Karma has a range of up to 3.1 miles and can fly for up to 20 minutes on a single charge. It is also equipped with many advanced features, including a built-in display on the controller and automatic return to home function.
Intel is a technology company that makes a range of products, including drones. Intel's drone products are designed for commercial and industrial use in a variety of applications, including surveying, inspection, and search and rescue.
One of Intel's drone products is the Intel Falcon 8+, which is designed for commercial and industrial applications. It is a professional-grade drone equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors for highly accurate data capture. The Falcon 8+ is also designed to be extremely durable and robust to withstand harsh environmental conditions.
Intel is an established drone maker, and it also makes a range of other drone products, including the Intel Aero Ready to Fly drone, which is designed for developers and researchers. The Aero drone is a small, lightweight drone equipped with Intel's RealSense technology for high-precision 3D mapping and obstacle avoidance.
Products and services: drone solutions for industrial markets such as agriculture, energy, and security
Company introduction: Action Drone Inc. is a drone solutions company for industrial markets. They act on new strategies, craft unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), deploy pilot networks, and standardize training and services.
Products and services: drone show provider, aerial photographer and videographer
Company introduction: San Diego based drone show provider, aerial photographer and videography company. Their team is FAA licensed, insured and they have an operational waiver with the FAA to perform drone light shows. Drone light shows are essentially aerial animations made up of small LED drones. Think of each drone as a pixel, so the more drones in the fleet, the more detailed the drone show. They help with each step of the drone show production process from initial animation design to the performance, as well as necessary permitting and approvals. They also have extensive experience in aerial photography and videography including documentaries, promotional marketing, LIVE broadcasting, events and real estate.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas (with a presence in California)
Products and services: fixed wing drones for commercial enterprises, UAS service providers and military customers
Company introduction: Applied Aeronautics builds affordable fixed wing drones for commercial enterprises, UAS service providers and military customers. Their flagship product, the Albatross UAV can be found in over 55 countries performing applications ranging from remote sensing to asset management and surveillance.
Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas (with a presence in California)
Products and services: drones for agriculture, package delivery, and aerial imaging
Company introduction: AgEagle is a global UAV industry pioneer engaged in delivering a unified line of high performance flight hardware, sensors and software that have earned the longstanding trust and fidelity of customers worldwide over the past decade.
Conclusion
Overall, the California drone market is expected to continue to grow over the next few years, driven by the increasing demand for drone services across industries and the ongoing development of new technologies and applications for drones.
