The aerospace and defence industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation. Activity is driven by the use of big data, and artificial intelligence, and growing importance of technologies such as machine learning and edge computing. In the last three years alone, there have been over 174,000 patents filed and granted in the aerospace and defence industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Cloud in Aerospace, Defence & Security: Drone launching techniques. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 262,000 patents to analyse innovation intensity for the aerospace and defence industry, there are 180+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Drone launching techniques is a key innovation area in cloud
The launching period for UAVs is critical, fixed-wing UAVs need a minimum air speed before take-off and large fixed wing UAVs need a minimum runway length for take-off or landing. Small UAVs are easier to launch but there are improvements that can be made to improve launch efficiency.
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 40 companies, spanning technology vendors, established aerospace and defence companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of drone launching techniques.
Key players in drone launching techniques – a disruptive innovation in the aerospace and defence industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to drone launching techniques
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
SZ DJI Technology has filed the largest number of patents in drone launching techniques. SZ DJI Technology produces a range of commercial drones for the consumer, agricultural and industrial sectors, and specialises in high quality cameras and integration with software. Most of SZ DJI’s launching technologies were developed to enable small handheld drones to launch in various conditions and environments more reliably. The second most prominent patent applicant in this domain is KDDI, which specialises in the development of small commercial drones which can be utilised for inspecting infrastructure and facilities. KDDI’s recent work in this field includes smart drone platforms, powered through cloud, which facilitate launches.
In terms of application diversity, KDDI is the top company due to the variety of industries its drones can be utilised in, and Hitachi is in second place. In terms of geographic spread, SZ DJI Technology is first, followed by KDDI.
To further understand how cloud is disrupting the aerospace and defence industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Thematic Research: Cloud Computing in 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, 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.
