The aerospace and defense industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by automation, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency, and the growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), unmanned systems and satellites. In the last three years alone, there have been over 237,000 patents filed and granted in the aerospace and defense industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Drones in defense: drone energy harvestingBuy the report here.

Smarter leaders trust GlobalData

Report-cover

Data Insights Drones in defence: Drone energy harvesting

Buy the Report

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 206,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the aerospace and defense industry, there are 110 innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Drone energy harvesting is a key innovation area in drones

Drone energy harvesting refers to the process of capturing and utilizing energy from external sources to power drones. This includes methods such as recharging the drone’s battery using autonomous recharging vehicles, converting mechanical energy from propeller drives into electrical energy, and implementing hybrid electric drive systems in air vehicles. The goal is to maximize the flight time and operational efficiency of drones by reducing the reliance on traditional power sources. This approach not only extends the operational range of drones but also reduces the logistical burden associated with frequent battery replacements. As technology continues to advance, the integration of innovative energy harvesting solutions into unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) design holds great promise for enhancing the efficiency and autonomy of unmanned systems in aerospace and defense operations.

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 370+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established aerospace and defense companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of drone energy harvesting.

Key players in drone energy harvesting – a disruptive innovation in the aerospace and defense industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.   

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.  

Patent volumes related to drone energy harvesting

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Hyundai Mobis 19 Unlock Company Profile
Rolls-Royce 101 Unlock Company Profile
AeroVironment 143 Unlock Company Profile
Lockheed Martin 25 Unlock Company Profile
Wing Aviation 65 Unlock Company Profile
Toyota Motor 25 Unlock Company Profile
IHI 815 Unlock Company Profile
ABB 19 Unlock Company Profile
Siemens 22 Unlock Company Profile
Hyundai Motor 141 Unlock Company Profile
State Grid Corporation of China 45 Unlock Company Profile
Hitachi 35 Unlock Company Profile
CEA 88 Unlock Company Profile
Renault 41 Unlock Company Profile
General Electric 57 Unlock Company Profile
Korea Electric Power 29 Unlock Company Profile
ThyssenKrupp 38 Unlock Company Profile
Alarmcom 22 Unlock Company Profile
Honda Motor 49 Unlock Company Profile
China Southern Power Grid 42 Unlock Company Profile
BAE Systems 67 Unlock Company Profile
Panasonic 20 Unlock Company Profile
Porsche Automobil 34 Unlock Company Profile
General Motors 42 Unlock Company Profile
Raytheon Technologies 179 Unlock Company Profile
Oshkosh 114 Unlock Company Profile
Textron 64 Unlock Company Profile
Amazon.com 30 Unlock Company Profile
Safran 70 Unlock Company Profile
Boeing 262 Unlock Company Profile
LG 18 Unlock Company Profile
Airbus 90 Unlock Company Profile
IBM 18 Unlock Company Profile
Denso 25 Unlock Company Profile
Walmart 48 Unlock Company Profile
Deutsche Post 24 Unlock Company Profile
SoftBank Group 28 Unlock Company Profile
Kia 85 Unlock Company Profile
Ford Motor 30 Unlock Company Profile
Kawasaki Heavy Industries 30 Unlock Company Profile
SZ DJI Technology 224 Unlock Company Profile
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory 29 Unlock Company Profile
Workhorse Group 36 Unlock Company Profile
Kitty Hawk 38 Unlock Company Profile
Nileworks 18 Unlock Company Profile
Webasto Charging Systems 39 Unlock Company Profile
Wisk Aero 33 Unlock Company Profile
Wenzhou Ruichu Technology 55 Unlock Company Profile
Ai Robotics 25 Unlock Company Profile
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission 97 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Boeing is one of the leading patent filers in the drone energy harvesting segment. The company, through its subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, filed patents related to battery power systems and methodologies, particularly those well-suited for aircraftt and hybrid propulsion systems.

Some other key patent filers in this space include RTX (Raytheon Technologies), AeroVironment and Rolls-Royce.

In terms of application diversity, Wisk Aero, Raytheon Technologies and Textron are some of the leading innovators. By means of geographic reach, some of the leading patent filers include Safran, Boeing and Airbus.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the aerospace and defense industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Drones in Aerospace and Defense.

Data Insights

From

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.

GlobalData

GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.