Unmanned Ground Vehicles Market Growth Analysis

Market Insights

The unmanned ground vehicles market is estimated to grow from US$ 2.72 Billion in 2022 to US$ 3.78 Billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 5.66% during the forecast period. 

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What are unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs)?

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) are vehicles that do not require manual assistance for operation, and therefore, can be employed in crucial operations where the presence of a human operator would be dangerous and inconvenient.

UGVs find major applications in the defense sector for surveillance information, explosive activation, and carrying supplies. These vehicles also find use in commercial applications such as nuclear power plant operations, firefighting, agricultural harvesting & spraying, and crowd control.

With the increasing number of global military operations, the quality of UGVs has witnessed a considerable improvement over the years. Also, there has been a large procurement of advanced Unmanned Ground Vehicles from ground forces across the globe, especially from the European region due to the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) offer a number of advantages over manned vehicles, such as reduced risk to human life and the ability to operate in dangerous or hazardous environments. However, there are also a number of challenges associated with UGVs, including Cost, Complexity, Vulnerability, Ethics, Navigation, Perception, Communication & Security.

Despite these challenges, UGVs are a promising technology with the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries. As the technology continues to develop and the cost of UGVs comes down, it is likely that we will see even greater adoption of UGVs in the years to come.

Market Drivers

The market is driven by a host of factors, some of which are noted below:

Key Players

The following are the major players in the market:

• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Lockheed Martin
• Bae Systems
• Rheinmetall Ag
• Qinetiq
• General Dynamics
• Thales Group
• L3harris Technologies
• Aselsan A.S.
• Teledyne Technologies
• Hexagon Ab
• Israel Aerospace Industries
• St Engineering
• Elbit Systems
• Eca Group
• Mitsubishi Electric
• Log Nex 1
• Oshkosh Corp.

Segment Analysis

Mobility Trends

The market is segmented into tracked, wheeled, hybrid, and legged. The tracked segment held the largest share in 2022 & is expected to grow at a fast pace during the forecast period, owing to the high-power output as compared to all other vehicle types.

However, the wheeled segment is forecast to grow at the fastest rate in the near future due to its growing use in critical operations that involve operating on rough and unpredictable terrains.

Size Trends

The market is segmented into small, medium, large, very large, and extremely large. Small UGVs weigh more than 10 lbs to 200 lbs but less than 200 lbs. The small-size UGVs accounted for a significant share of the market in 2022 and are expected to dominate the market demand during the forecast period.

Small UGVs can be equipped with various payloads such as Chemical, Biological, Radioactive & Nuclear (CBRN) sensors, night-vision cameras, motion detectors, grippers, and manipulator's arms. 

Mode of operation Trends

The market is segmented into autonomous, teleoperated, and tethered. The autonomous segment is projected to grow with the fastest CAGR by 2028 due to the capability and potential to be integrated with different military and commercial applications.

Regional Analysis

North America accounted for the largest market share in 2022 and will continue to lead the market in the foreseeable future. The U.S. generated the highest revenue in the region. The sharp increase in the U.S. defense budget along with increased production contracts with UGV OEM is expected to increase demand for Unmanned Ground Vehicles in the country.

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Further, with significant military modernization efforts taking place in countries across the Asia Pacific region, the demand for Unmanned Ground Vehicles is expected to grow in the near future.

The market is segmented into the following categories:

By Mobility Type:

• Wheeled
• Tracked
• Hybrid
• Legged

By Size Type:

• Small
• Medium
• Large
• Very Large
• Extremely large

By Mode of Operation Type:

• Tethered
• Teleoperated
• Autonomous

By System Type:

• Payloads
• Controller Systems
• Navigation Systems
• Power Systems
• Others

By Application Type:

• Military
• Law Enforcement
• Commercial

By Region:

• North America (Country Analysis: The USA, Canada, and Mexico)
• Europe (Country Analysis: Germany, France, The UK, Russia, and the Rest of Europe)
• Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan, China, India, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific)
• Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Others)

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights into the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision-making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market.

What Deliverables Will You Get in this Report?

Research Methodology

This report offers high-quality insights and is the outcome of a detailed research methodology comprising extensive secondary research, rigorous primary interviews with industry stakeholders, and validation and triangulation with Stratview Research’s internal database and statistical tools.

More than 1,000 authenticated secondary sources, such as company annual reports, fact books, press releases, journals, investor presentations, white papers, patents, and articles have been leveraged to gather the data.

We conducted more than 10 detailed primary interviews with the market players across the value chain in all four regions and with industry experts to obtain both qualitative and quantitative insights.

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Company Profiling

• Detailed profiling of additional market players (up to three players)
• SWOT analysis of key players (up to three players)

Competitive Benchmarking

Benchmarking of key players on the following parameters: Product portfolio, geographical reach, regional presence, and strategic alliances

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Recent Developments

There have been several developments in the defense industry directed at Unmanned Ground Vehicles in recent years, which would boost the overall market. Some of them are:

In January 2022, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced to conduct Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency (RACER) off-road UGV program with the goal to develop and demonstrate the ability of autonomous platforms to travel at the speed that maintains pace with crewed vehicles in complex terrain

In September 2021, Russia’s equivalent of DARPA, the Foundation for Advanced Studies (FPI) developed the marker UGV. Marker UGV is a Russian combat robot patrolling without human assistance, navigating its way across a 100-kilometer route, and working with a swarm of drones.