Report Overview

The United States Medical Drone market is growing owing to the high demand for healthcare applications and quick delivery of medicines. In addition, advancement in existing technologies is driving the medical drone market in the United States.

United States Medical Drone Market - Industry Trends & Forecast Report 2028

The United States Medical Drone market exhibiting a CAGR of 23.1% during the forecast period. The rapid market expansion is predominantly due to the high demand for drones for healthcare applications. Quick delivery of medicines is imperative to move as quickly and efficiently as possible when moving biomedical samples between hospitals or laboratories is another driver for the market expansion of medical drones. Moreover, increasing, leading authorities to focus on facilitating medical services by advancing the existing technologies, propelling the United States Medical Drone Market.

Medical Drone - Overview

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are another name for drones (UAVs). UAV technology's speed and adaptability provide essentially limitless potential for delivering aid and medical supplies to people in isolated or dangerous locations. UAVs have a wide range of potential uses in the healthcare industry. They include expedited laboratory diagnostic testing, surveillance, and prehospital emergency care. Currently, it has been demonstrated that UAVs can deliver vaccines, hematological goods, and AEDs. Patients receiving care at home rather than in a hospital environment could receive medication and supplies via drones.

United States Medical Drone Market Forecast and Trends

Growth Drivers

The High Demand for Drones for Healthcare Applications is Propelling the Market Growth

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic scenario has expedited drone technology acceptance and investment for healthcare sector applications, monitoring and surveillance of public spaces, and introducing new logistical alternatives to the traditional supply chain modes. Technology, which was once viewed through critical lenses by industry professionals and governments, is a clear winner in these instances amid the COVID-19 pandemic, where human interaction has been considered to be a medium of viral transmission. These aspects have influenced the growth of the medical drone market over the forecast year. For instance, UPS Flight Forward Inc. obtained the Federal Aviation Administration's first full Part 135 Standard certification in October 2019 and was given U.S. government authority to practice drone airline operations.

Quick Delivery of Medicines

Time is essential and a lifesaver in the healthcare industry. So it's imperative to move as quickly and efficiently as possible when moving biomedical samples between hospitals or laboratories. Even if each sample is small and light, hospitals and laboratories use traditional courier services since they need to wait for a minimum volume before delivering it. Delivery times are not always accurate due to traffic. Delivery services using drones can be more dependable, less expensive, and faster. Drones deliver vital pharmaceuticals, blood supplies, immunizations, and antitoxin therapies that patients urgently need. Medical professionals can offer treatment that might save a patient's life as soon as possible with prompt delivery. Additionally, the medication can be delivered directly to the patient's bedside, lowering medical facility errors and growing the market for medical drones.

Increasing Focus On Facilitating Medical Services By Advancing The Existing Technologies

Top authorities are emphasizing the advancement of current technologies to facilitate medical services. Artificial intelligence and drone technology have recently been combined for medical applications such as aerial mapping, monitoring, surveillance, tracing infected patients, etc. A.I. algorithms were explicitly created to process drone cameras' data, evaluate it, and give it. Additionally, it makes use of A.I. to enable autonomous UAVs to function on their own. Medical drones have seen increased use as a result of technological advancements, particularly in the hospital and healthcare industries. Drones are being used in the healthcare industry with great success. Drones assist in meeting patients' urgent needs by delivering necessary medications, vaccines, and other supplies creating the demand for the medical drone market.

Restraints

Lack Of Unified Air Traffic Control And Qualified Pilots Can Restrain Market Expansion

UAVs are frequently used in various medical applications, including emergency medical supply, human organ logistics, and emergency blood services. However, OEMs and end users have experienced various restrictions due to regulatory restrictions, operational constraints, approvals, and commercial and industrial uses. The U.S has approved the requisite licenses and BVLOS flight activities. However, all aerial platforms cannot operate safely in controlled airspace due to a lack of unified air traffic management. A significant issue is reducing the operational difficulties and drone-related mishaps experienced by BVLOS flights. Additionally, the shortage of qualified pilots for BVLOS flight operations by the end-users is one of the significant market restraints on the growing number of remotely flown drones for medical delivery applications.

Impact of COVID-19 on United States Medical Drone Market

The coronavirus outbreak and subsequent return of the second wave, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has intensified the demand for essential medical supplies time reduction. Drones can help with on-demand just-in-time delivery, little physical contact, last-mile delivery to remote places with an extensive logistical network, and low risk of viral or pathological transmission, which are all advantages in the COVID-19 setting. The use of drones for airborne disinfectant spraying has reportedly been used to stop the spread of viruses in open spaces, according to the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF. According to reports, the United States has tried to capitalize on the advantages of aerial spraying. Companies using this drone technology have asserted that they can sanitize an area of three square kilometers.  

United States Medical Drone Market - By Product Type

The medical drone market is segmented based on type: fixed-wing, hybrid, and rotor drones. The rotor drone segment held a dominant share owing to the high demand for rotor drones for medical supplies, public area disinfection, monitoring and surveillance, efficient vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, and confined area operability. Due to the growing demand for extended endurance and range, heavy and large payload holding abilities, and a wide area of coverage for medical applications, the hybrid category is predicted to rise as the fastest-growing segment. Due to its extended range, endurance, broad coverage area, and ability to carry modest to large payloads for blood samples, vaccination drives, and other on-demand medical applications, the fixed-wing category is the second-fastest-growing segment.

United States Medical Drone Market - By Application

Based on the application, the United States medical drone market is segmented into blood transfer, medicine and drugs/pharmaceutical transfer, vaccination programs, and others. Blood samples are moved between medical centers using drones. Drones can also travel a distance of three hours in around fifteen minutes. As a result, they are crucial in delivering blood to patients during emergencies. Additionally, blood is necessary during childbirth and in all major procedures. When patients in trauma emergencies are denied blood, many of them pass away. As a result, there will be greater demand for speedy blood supply, boosting the drone market. Another segment, including vaccination programs, is predicted to grow profitably in the near future since it is easier to get vaccines to remote locations.

United States Medical Drone Market - By End User

The market can be divided into blood banks, government organizations, and emergency medical services based on the end-user. For the forecast period, 2022–2028, the end-user segment for emergency medical services is anticipated to account for a significant market share. Medical drones are quite popular in situations where speed is of the essence, such as accidents on the road or any attack. These drones are able to reach remote areas that are difficult to access fast and conveniently. During the forecast period, it is anticipated that segments such as government agencies and blood banks will expand. The increase is linked to these categories' growing desire for time-saving, effective on-demand delivery, among other things.

Competitive Landscape

Key players operating in the United States Medical Drone market are Zipline International Inc.(U.S.), Volansi, Inc. (U.S.), Flirtey(U.S.), Matternet(U.S.), Vayu Inc. (Ypsilanti U.S.), VillageReach, Alphabet, Inc. (Google Drones), The Boeing Company, DJI United States, Alpine 4 Holdings Inc., Draganfly, Inc., Skydio Inc., and other prominent players. The market leaders retain their supremacy by adopting advanced devices in healthcare facilities, developing cutting-edge technologies, and launching new services to stay competitive. Various tactics are used, including new service developments, mergers, and acquisitions.

Recent Development

• In September 2020, the creation of a new U.S. drone delivery company in collaboration with Wal-Mart was announced by Zipline.

• In May 2021, Coldchain Delivery Systems, a vaccine and medical SCM (supply chain management) company in the U.S. Government, partnered with Draganfly Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of UAV hardware and software, recently recognized for its pandemic services such as pandemic drone and stadium disinfection services. Through a five-phase deployment, the alliance will begin delivering COVID-19 vaccines to Texas' rural and remote areas through medical drones.

Scope of the Report

By Product Type

• Fixed Wing Drone

• Hybrid Drone

• Rotor Drone

By Application

• Blood Transfer

• Drugs/Pharmaceutical Transfer

• Vaccination Programs

• Others

By End User

• Blood Banks

• Government Organizations

• Emergency Medical Services