Everyone knows that China-based DJI is the world’s leading drone manufacturer and distributor – with a whopping 75% of the total market.  The annual report of the German market research firm DII– released this week – confirms that lead.  But can you guess who the next top four are?  Probably not, and some of the company names might surprise you.

Two of the other top 5 turn out to be Chinese also – XAG (#3) and JOUAV (#5). XAG has recently experienced a sales boom in Australia, Latin America and Southeast Asia.  The company’s P100 agricultural drone is unusually multi-dimensional, with the capacity to spray not just pesticides but also seeds and fertilizers to targeted areas of a farm to boost farm yields, while slashing the cost of field labor and reducing the size of the carbon footprint left by gas-powered helicopters and crop-dusters.

JOUAV has recently opened a $50 million drone industrial plant, one of the largest in the world. The JOUAV Tech Park spans 50 acres with 54,000 square meters of production space.  The company also launched its latest product, the JOS-C2000 autonomous VTOL drone hangar system which features an aircraft –  the CW-15X VTOL drone – that can handle a range of applications, from power grid, dam and oil and gas pipeline inspections to traffic monitoring and border patrol operations.

The CW-15X drone’s specs are impressive.  It’s a small craft with a fuselage length of just 2 meters and wingspan of just 2.5 meters.  But it can fly for 100 minutes continuously at a speed of 50 mph.  JOUAV’s hangar management system allows for simultaneous control of multiple drones, operating at scale, with vertiports support systems that ensure fight safety while extending the CW-15 X’s flight range.

Non-Chinese companies are also top performers.  Number two on the top 5 list is San Mateo, CA-based Skydio.  The nine-year old company has experienced a meteoric rise over the past two years, having secured major new contracts with U.S.government and commercial clients, primarily for infrastructure inspections.

In 2023, Skydio received a highly-prized BVLOS waiver from the FAA to conduct inspections at Dominion Energy, the largest of 60 major grid facilities that have contracted with the company of late.  Skydio derives its competitive edge from its recently unveiled  “drone-in-a-box” autonomous inspection systems – Skydio Dock and Dock Lite – powered by the company’s new Remote Ops software. The company has also carved out a special niche in indoor inspections at coal, gas and nuclear power plants.

Another non-Chinese company, France-based Parrot, occupies #4 on the list.  The company’s been in existence for over a quarter century but only jumped into Drone World in a big way in 2017 – and it’s been soaring ever since.  Parrot’s latest version of its Anafi drone – developed in conjunction with Switzerland-based Drone Harmony and equipped with 4G connectivity – takes automated drone missions into entirely new territory. The drone can perform fast, accurate data collection – and 3D mapping – even in urban areas where structural and other interference often make Wi-Fi connections challenging.

Looking ahead, Skydio may be the company to watch in the coming year, with major new contracts expected in law enforcement, fire-fighting and disaster relief.   Few companies other than DJI have demonstrated Skydio’s diversity across virtually the entire enterprise sector.  The company’s robust technological design team – powered by experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles drawn from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world – is one reason for its burgeoning success.

Another was the company’s decision in March to abandon its under-performing recreational and racing drone division and to focus on the commercial and government sectors exclusively.  Finally, the ongoing crackdown on non-NDAA compliant drone manufacturers, including DJI, has opened up space for US-based suppliers like Skydio to quickly move up the ranks.

That said, DJI’s dominance is assured for some time to come.  While its bid to enter the US retail delivery market – and its continued dominance as America’s leading police drone supplier – will continue to face stiff challenges, the company remains undeterred.  Sales of DJI’s state-of-the art precision agriculture drones – including its flagship Agras T-60, released just last month – are flourishing across four continents.  And the company’s new small cargo drone, with its dual delivery system and its ability to fly at night under difficult weather conditions – could well become another game changer.

Still, watch out for the Chinese newcomers, especially JOUAV.   Already in the top 5, they could well pose a growing threat to DJI’s historic dominance.  Overall, global drone competition is rapidly intensifying – and that’s good news for drone consumers everywhere.