By 2024 drones and robots will deliver as much as the 30% of goods of EU $ 9.7 billion market. This is what emerges from the results of the Protolabs "Horizon Shifts" survey
The Protolabs "Horizon Shifts" survey interviewed 325 entrepreneurs operating in the aerospace sector, divided into government companies, satellite manufacturers operating in the so-called high space, manufacturers of planes, helicopters and components and companies that produce drones or that have invested in urban air mobility, a fifth of which invoice more than a billion dollars.
There are several strategic assets to focus on for the future. Three out of four respondents believe that electric propulsion and commercial drones are the technologies that will grow, while for satellites the percentage drops to 66%, while remaining among the technologies that the majority see as the most promising, also thanks to the advent of 5G.
Certainly in the near future more and more deliveries will be made by drones and COVID-19 is accelerating investments in the sector. 53% of respondents have no doubts that commercial drones will become in common use within 3 years, or perhaps even sooner if they prove to be a means of delivery capable of curbing the spread of the virus.
Other results emerged from the Protolabs "Horizon Shifts" survey: The crisis situation has accelerated robot and drone tests while the public and private sectors are looking for safe ways to provide services and contain the spread of the virus. The size of the European drone market is expected to grow from $ 4.06 billion in 2018 to $ 9.7 billion in 2024. Depending on EU legislation and technological advances, the delivery of the last mile of products through drones it could reach between 7% and 30% of EU citizens. 63% of Italian respondents say that artificial intelligence and machine learning will be the technologies that will have the greatest impact in the aerospace sector.
Research shows that confidence in the commercial drone delivery market increased during the pandemic: from 42% on 19 February / 4 March to 53% for those interviewed from 5 to 20 March 2020
We are at the beginning of a transition for the European aerospace industry where disruptive technologies will have a strong impact on the sector. Moving from an expensive and centralized system on a few players to a small capillary system, sprinkled with companies capable of providing greater performance at a lower price. Costs, risks and the general approach to the development of new solutions are changing in favor of smaller companies that can take the field.
