As UK becomes a hub for aerial tech consider a career in drone technology
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FROM fighting in war zones to surveying the carnage of the LA fires, drones have been hitting the headlines. But did you know that the UK is emerging as a world leader in the aerial tech?. The UK drone market generated around £94.66million in 2023 but is predicted to reach as much as £1.5billion by 2031.
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Drones are currently being used for an array of tasks including surveying buildings, decommissioning nuclear installations, inspecting dangerous structures and providing emergency searches. The Royal Mail is even trialling drone delivery in remote areas.
![[Drone with camera in flight.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/camera-gimbal-fitted-known-hexacopter-964210974.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
While 84 per cent of budding drone businesses have fewer than 50 employees, analysts Drone Industry Insights said: “The drone market in the UK is among the top in the world, with significant potential for growth. “The economy in the UK as a whole offers a unique opportunity for the drone industry to thrive, and it has witnessed significant advancements in the use of drones in recent years, particularly in healthcare and delivery.”.
![[Portrait of Lord Mark Price.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/lord-mark-price-963896848.png?strip=all&w=495)
Currently the majority of UK firms are drone service providers — offering specialised services such as aerial photography, mapping, surveying and inspections. However, a growing number of hardware and software manufacturers are setting up, providing a rapidly increasing number of jobs.
![[Richard Branson and Simon Squibb posing for a photo.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sir-richard-branson-simon-squibb-963675781.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
Welsh-based firm Tekever recently unveiled the first drone produced entirely in the UK and has doubled its workforce over the last year. Its customers include the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and RAF, with its AI-powered drones used to detect threats to human life and the environment, such as illegal fishing, oil spills, vessels in distress and wildfires.
