Most market analysts agree that the European drone industry is strong and getting stronger. For example, market forecasts, according to the employment site EuroScienceJobs, “suggest that the regional drone industry is now worth more than five billion dollars annually, with projected 177% sectoral growth through the next decade.” Similarly, Grand View Horizon asserted that “the drone market in Europe is expected to reach a projected revenue of US$ 36,337.3 million by 2030,” and a “compound annual growth rate of 13.4% is expected of Europe drone market from 2025 to 2030.”
While the defense sector is driving much of this growth, the increased integration of UAVs into various commercial operations is also pushing the industry to new heights across the continent. With this in mind, the upcoming Commercial UAV Forum, with its specific focus on commercial drone operations in Europe, has become a “must attend” event for drone industry professionals. Scheduled for 22-23 April 2026 in Amsterdam, the conference will bring together drone professionals from across Europe and around the world, offering a chance for uncrewed systems professionals to network, see the latest innovations, and learn how to best integrate the latest UAS technology into their industrial and commercial operations.
To help you better understand the European drone industry and prepare for Commercial UAV Forum, here’s a look a back of some important Europe-focused stories published in Commercial UAV News in 2025.
Drilling down on the European drone market
A 2025 webinar, “What's Now and What's Next for the Drone Market in Europe?,” featured a lively panel discussion between Marc Beltran, CEO at EU Drone Port, Kristofer Skantze, CEO at Xer Technologies, Laurent Zimmerli, VP Customer Experience at Voliro, and Kay Wackwitz, CEO & Founder of Drone Industry Insights. These experts shared their insights into the state of the European drone market, touching on Europe’s regulatory framework, risk management, the impact of AI on technology and workflows, and more. Their perspectives offered drone industry professionals an insider’s view of where the industry stands and where it’s heading.
Lessons from the Ukrainian drone industry
The achievements of the Ukrainian drone industry are nothing short of remarkable. The sector is thriving despite its ongoing conflict with Russia. In fact, Ukraine produced more than five million drones in 2024, and, over the past two years, the country has become a world leader in the manufacture of drones and drone components such as motors, flight controllers, optics, and antennas.
A large group of Ukraine’s drone industry leaders attended the 2025 Commercial UAV Forum in Las Vegas. Learn how these remarkable professionals taught and inspired their colleagues at the event.
A UTM setback in Europe
Last fall, UK-based UTM company Altitude Angel entered administration, which in England is the equivalent of insolvency. The news had a tremendous impact on European drone operations, particularly around the reliability of important airspace data provided to airports. In a Commercial UAV News article, Staff Writer Juan Plaza examined the impact of Altitude Angel’s insolvency, explaining that a thriving European drone industry depends on a reliable UTM system. Without a solid and proven way to manage simultaneous operations of drones and air taxis, he said, “there is no industry.”
New approaches to drone-based construction work
Ireland-based Sisk, a major construction firm based that works across Europe, has made great advances in the use of drones in construction projects. In recent years, the company has expanded its use of uncrewed technology, including the creation of a Digital Project Delivery service in which drones are a central component. This past year, Commercial UAV News Content Manager Matt Collins spoke with Sisk’s Cillian Kelly about how the company’s drone program has evolved and how its new partnership with DroneDeploy will lead to greater integration and innovation.
The challenges of eVTOL integration
Around the world and in many European countries, efforts have been made to integrate eVTOL vehicles into the overall aviation environment to offer efficient, versatile transportation options to travelers and commercial entities. However, there are many challenges facing these efforts.
In a 2025 article, Commercial UAV News Staff Writer Juan Plaza explored the challenges of integrating eVTOL vehicles with traditional aviation, particularly around battery options for the vehicles and the choice of business models. Citing examples of integration plans by companies such as Austria’s GlobeAir, Plaza said “the future of this new sector within aviation and the enigma of how it will integrate with traditional aviation forecast exciting times ahead, but entering this arena thinking that there will be huge profits is a mistake.”
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