10 Leading Commercial Drone Manufacturers in the World, 2021

A drone is an aerial machine used for capturing images from a bird’s eye point of view. Several companies are launching drones embedded with advanced features to provide their users with the best-performing drone machines. For example, In April 2021, DJI launched its brand-new product DJI Air 2S with superior flight performance and improved image quality. The innovative drones will be used in mapping locations and offering accurate directions of remote places to users.

Which Commercial Drone manufacturer designs the best drones? Competition is tough and there are several manufacturing companies who are putting perpetual efforts to introduce advanced commercial drones. Although there are numerous companies, we have compiled an exhaustive list and these are our favorites.

Fortune Business Insights™ has listed manufacturers that are prominently operating in the commercial drone industry.

1. 3D Robotics (America)

3D Robotics is an American organization that has its headquarters set up at Berkeley in California. The company is a pioneer of drone software for various end-user industries such as construction, government organizations, and the mining industry. It was founded by Chris Anderson in 2009. In July 2019 the company entered into an agreement with PCL Constructors Inc. for the unrestrained use of Site Scanning on several PCL ventures globally.

2. Aeronavics Ltd (New-Zealand)

Aeronavics is a New Zealand-based company founded in 2008 and headquartered in the Asia Pacific region. The company is a top manufacturer and designer of aerial robotic products. The company is focusing heavily on developing cost-efficient, highly secure, and performs exceptionally. It offers commercial drones such as Aeronavics Icon, AeronavicsNavi, and AeronavicsSkyjib for mapping applications, surveillance, agricultural applications, media, and others.

3. AeroVironment Inc. (America)

AeroVironment is an American-based company which is a pioneer manufacturer and designer of small drones and fast charging systems for electric vehicle batteries. It was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Simi Valley, California. The company offers a slew of products in the US, such as tracking antennas, missile systems, and sensors. In February 2021, the company acquired Arcturus UAV to enhance their unmanned systems aircraft's portfolio.

4. Autel Robotics (China)

Autel Robotics is a foremost global player for developing unmanned aircraft for commercial and recreational purposes. The company was established in 2014, and is headquartered in Bothell, WA. It announced novel products for the public sector. For example, Autel Robotics announced a new product for use in enterprises and public sectors named Autel EVO II Dual Enterprise UAS in September 2020.

5. Draganfly Innovations Inc. (Canada)

Draganfly Innovation is a global leader in manufacturing aerial video system solutions, UAV aircraft, software for the aerospace sectors, and electronic system design. It was formed in 1998, and headquartered at the company entered into an agreement with Applied Research and Innovations Services located at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in March 2021.

6. Ehang (China)

Ehang is a Chinese based company headquartered in Guangzhou in China. The company is a leading designer and developer of passenger AAV's and autonomous aerial vehicles. It set up its operations in 2014, founded by Huazi Hu and Yifang (Derrick) Xiong. It manufactured a UAV drone used for multiple applications such as emergency service, aerial photography, cinematography, and commercial applications. In March 2021, the company announced a partnership with an Italian architecture company named Giancarlo Zema Design Group (GZDG) to construct an ecologically sustainable vertiport in Italy. This partnership enabled the company to expand its mobility solutions in the European region.

7. FLIR Systems Inc. (US)

FLIR Systems Inc. is a subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon, in the United States. The company was founded by James J Canon, Carol P Lowe (President and CEO), CFO Earl R. Lewis, and William W. Crouch. In 1978. It is a leading designer and producer of thermal imaging cameras, sensors, and components for commercial and government sectors. It provides products for several applications such as condition monitoring, search and rescue, surveillance and reconnaissance, and airborne observations. In December 2020, the company undertook the acquisition of Altavian, which is a major manufacturer of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) aimed at providing quality products to defense and public safety sectors.

8. GoPro, Inc. (America)

Go pro-Inc was established in 2002, headquartered in San Mateo, California. The company is a leading manufacturer of drones and imaging sensors. The company provides editing software for mobile users. It is majorly used in the entertainment and media industry. It sold more than 26 million cameras in about 100 countries. In January 2021 the company released the latest firmware update v2.50.01 for its Karma Drones.

9. Holy Stone (China)

Holy Stone is a Chinese company established in 2014. It is a leading manufacturer and designer of commercial drones. In February 2021, the company's Holy Stone’sHS510 GPS drone was selected as the best photography drones.

10. Intel Corporation (America)

Intel Corporation is a well-known company, established in July 1968. The company's headquarters is situated in Santa Clara, California, in the US. It is a global producer of game-changing technologies. The company offers a slew of drones such as multi-rotor drones and fixed-wing drones for many commercial purposes such as construction, inspection, and others. Its drones are helping to collect data for acquiring better insights on the market. In addition, the company's Insights Platform enables users to store huge amounts of data related to the assets and sites on the internet.