Aerostat Systems Market

Description

Aerostat systems are equipment latched onto aerostats to render them useful for specific purposes such as surveillance, thermal imaging and weather forecast, and navigation. Aerostats consist of both balloons (tethered or free-flying) as well as airships that make use of aerostatic lift to stay afloat (as opposed to movement in surrounding air mass required by heavy aerodynes to function).

Market Dynamics

The market is expected to register a healthy growth during the forecast period, with growing demands for intelligence and surveillance being the primary driving factors. The market has also been registering notable growth prospects amidst rising cross-border disputes and extremist attacks on a global scale. Also, aerostat systems can be of specific assistance during emergency situations that include surveillance and communications during natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, and earthquakes. Moreover, aerostat systems are being increasingly invested in by major global economies, notably the US and Japan.

Investments in ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) payloads have been on recent highs, primarily to enhance military intelligence and border security

Technological advancement in the integrated software systems in aerostat payloads are to be considered another potential driving factor, especially with ongoing research and development activities rendering older systems far behind newer models. With the market’s investors and clients expecting only the latest, healthy sales are to be assured amidst advancement in specific technicalities and features products can offer.

Market Segmentation

The global aerostat systems market is segmented

• Based on Payload into communication intelligence, electro-optical sensor, electronic intelligence, thermal imaging camera, inertial navigation system, and surveillance radar. Amongst these, the surveillance radar segment dominates the market owing to growing investments towards surveillance systems in military exercises. Also, the communication intelligence segment is expected to register healthy growth through the forecast period in coherence with growing requirements related to surveillance, communication, intelligence, reconnaissance, border security, and other military activities.
• Based on Propulsion Type the market is also segmented into unpowered balloons and powered airships on the . With respect to this segmentation, the powered airships segment dominates the market owing to lower fuel consumption, thus making them far more viable than unpowered aerostats.

Geographical Analysis

Regionally, the market is segmented into the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and Asia-Pacific. The Americas have the highest market share presently, owing to increasing investments towards aerostat systems in the region (highest in the US). The market has also been witnessing growth in the Middle East over ongoing unrest and terrorism threats in the region.

Key players

Key players in the global aerostat systems market include AUGUR RosAeroSystems, Lockheed Martin, RT, Raytheon, Raven Aerostar, TCOM, ILC Dover, Lindstrand Technologies, Drone Aviation, and FLIR Systems.