Drone technology

Switzerland is assuming a global pioneering role with its drone industry, the first Swiss Drone Industry Report has revealed. According to the report, which was published by the Drone Industry Association Switzerland (DIAS), Switzerland ranks in first place globally in terms of market size per capita.

In the current year, the Swiss drone industry looks likely to reach 521 million Swiss francs. The report assumes that this value will rise to 879 million francs by 2026. This growth is being driven by exports to the USA and Europe, with products worth 233 million francs set to be exported in the current year. In this context, the export shares are likely to be very high for both hardware (89 percent) and software (96 percent) in particular.

Two hubs centered on the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) are above all the driving force behind the Swiss drone ecosystem. Accordingly, a particularly high number of start-ups have been spawned by two universities that are now active in the industry. Overall, Swiss drone companies have attracted investment totaling 214.6 million Swiss francs up to now, the report states. This equates to 3 percent of global investments made in this area.

According to the report, Switzerland is a fertile breeding ground for drone companies. While excellent access to talented experts certainly plays a part in this, a “rather permissive” regulatory framework is also a key factor. Moreover, the industry benefits from active regulatory support, while the advantages of the “Swiss-made” label are also outlined in the report.

Looking ahead to the future, the report recommends that Swiss drone companies should collaborate more extensively, as this could accelerate testing and consequently the introduction of new products on the market.

DIAS engaged the services of the German market research firm Drone Industry Insights to produce the Swiss Drone Industry Report. In addition to DIAS, the report was supported by Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), the Swiss Aerospace Cluster, BernInvest and Innovaud.

The full report is available to download from DIAS's website: www.droneindustry.ch.