Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule, or nothing at all, chances are you are being bombarded with retail deals right now. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday have all come and gone, but the promotions are still all there, and for good reason too. The Holiday Shopping season is the time when most retail businesses make their yearly goals. In a study done by Statista, retail in the United States brought in over $3 trillion during the past holiday season. Over this past year, many businesses have seen their doors shuttered temporarily and some even permanently because of complications from COVID-19. All over the world, businesses are counting on holiday spending, saving them from having to close.

This year experts project that the average American household will spend a little under $1,000 over the holiday season, a sum lower than what has been seen over the past decade. Even though holiday spending will likely be down this year, people are still looking forward to planned, informed shopping. Rather than going into stores and impulse shopping, customers are researching and carefully planning their spending. And one of the sectors getting a lot of traffic, as it has over the last few years, is the drone industry.

Over the last few years, drone popularity has grown exponentially. Since the onset of the coronavirus, drones have become tools that enable social distancing while helping industries stay moving. Commercially, drones have kept inspections, delivery services, real estate, entertainment, and far more open throughout worldwide quarantines. Based on numbers released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) there are currently 1,746,248 registered drones in the US with 203,036 individuals licensed to operate them. Of those registered, 510,758 are for commercial purposes and 1,231,990 are for personal recreational use.

In 2015, the FAA estimated that there would be close to 1 million drones sold over the holiday season. It has been predicted that the drone market could triple over the next few years, with the drone market bringing in close to $43.1 billion by 2024. With drones available in nearly every price range and for people of all levels, it is easy to see how these numbers are possible, even in an economy as rocky as what we are facing now.

For kids and beginning drone enthusiasts, there are drones as inexpensive as $5, a perfect “stocking stuffer” for many people. For just a little more there are even drone board games that teach the principles of flying and controlling drones. For less than $100 small drones with cameras are also great for new drone operators. Some drones are ready to fly as soon as they come out of the box for those who need instant gratification. There are kits to build drones for those who like to do it themselves. For kids and adults alike interested in coding and programming, some drones engage and teach such skills.

For the more experienced drone operator, manufacturers are updating their models and bringing new designs to the market. Some high-end drones can run between $1,000-$3,000, and while that sounds like a lot of money, these are the types of drones that can in turn be used to make money. What better gift to give someone than something fun and exciting they can use to make money taking pictures and videos for profit. On top of all the new drones being featured this holiday season are the accessories that compliment them. If you know someone who already has a drone, they could most likely benefit from spare parts like batteries and rotors, or enhanced camera lenses, or stability gimbals.

As stated on the FAA’s website, “A few decades ago, drones were confined to science fiction or notions of the future. Today, unmanned Aircraft Systems, or drones, are rapidly becoming a part of our everyday lives.” As we near the final stretch of the holiday shopping season, drone sales are likely to jump. While other industries are struggling to stay profitable, the drone industry shows no sign of slowing down. As drones are proving to be vital in supporting countless commercial enterprises, as well as the “it” recreational gadget, they will continue to bring in massive revenue. And for those interested in drones, taking advantage of the holiday deals is a great option.

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