Want to know where the drone industry is headed next? The people behind one of the sector’s most influential research efforts are asking drone professionals around the world to help answer that question.
Germany-based Drone Industry Insights (DII) has officially opened the 9th edition of its Global Drone Survey, an annual initiative widely regarded as the largest industry survey in the drone world. The survey, which is available in eight languages, is open through July 31 and seeks input from everyone involved in the drone ecosystem, right from manufacturers and software developers to operators, regulators, investors, researchers, and industry associations.
The launch comes just one week after DII released its Drone Market Map 2026, which identified 1,413 drone-related companies operating across more than 70 countries. That report reached tens of thousands of drone professionals and highlighted the growing scale and diversity of the global drone market.
Unlike many industry reports that rely on public data or analyst estimates, the Global Drone Survey gathers information directly from the companies and professionals working in the field. Participants are asked about business conditions, revenue trends, technology adoption, regulatory challenges, investment activity, and broader market sentiment.
The result is a detailed snapshot of an industry that continues to evolve rapidly as drones become increasingly important in sectors such as infrastructure inspection, public safety, agriculture, logistics, mapping, and defense. According to DII, roughly 1,000 responses are collected each year, making the survey one of the industry’s most comprehensive data sources.
“The Global Drone Survey is one of the most valuable things we provide for the industry,” says DII CEO Kay Wackwitz. “Eight years in, the data has become a reference point that decision-makers, investors, and policymakers around the world rely on.”
This year’s survey also comes with a few incentives. Participants who complete the full questionnaire will receive an advance copy of DII’s upcoming State of Drones 2026 report, arriving about four weeks before its public release in the third quarter of the year. Respondents will also get early access to ASTRA, DII’s new drone intelligence platform that is scheduled for public beta launch on June 23. In addition, participants will be entered for a chance to win one of five $100 shopping vouchers.
The survey itself takes about 8 to 15 minutes to complete, but its findings often influence conversations far beyond that timeframe. Investors use the data to identify market trends, companies benchmark their performance against industry peers, and policymakers gain insight into the challenges facing drone adoption.
With the global drone market continuing to mature, the survey offers a rare opportunity for industry stakeholders to help shape one of the most closely watched reports of the year.
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