South Korea Commercial Drones Market

South Korea Commercial Drones Market Overview:

The South Korea commercial drones market size reached USD 608.0 Million in 2024. The market is projected to reach USD 3,096.9 Million by ​2033​, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 17.68% during ​2025-2033​. Advancements in drone technology are making drones more efficient, reliable, and adaptable across various industries. In addition, media companies in the country are employing drones to capture sweeping landscape shots, dramatic aerial sequences, and smooth tracking footage that enhance visual storytelling, thereby contributing to the expansion of the South Korea commercial drones market share.

South Korea Commercial Drones Market Trends:

Advancements in drone technology

Advancements in drone technology are positively influencing the market in South Korea. As battery life improves, drones fly longer distances and perform extended missions, increasing their usefulness in agriculture, construction, and surveillance. Lightweight materials enhance speed and reduce energy utilization, while high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging enable precise data collection for mapping, inspection, and monitoring. Autonomous flight systems allow drones to operate with minimal human control, reducing labor costs and the risk of human error. Enhanced obstacle avoidance and improved global positioning system (GPS) systems ensure safer navigation even in crowded or complex environments, such as urban areas and industrial sites. Integration with 5G networks is facilitating faster data transmission and real-time monitoring, which is crucial for applications like delivery and live aerial footage. Customizable payloads let drones carry different tools for spraying, scanning, and transporting goods, increasing their value in agriculture and logistics. Weather-resistant designs are expanding the range of conditions in which drones can operate, supporting consistent performance. Drone durability and advanced navigation features also make them more suitable for high-risk and remote operations. Rising AI use allows drones to analyze data, detect objects, and make real-time decisions, boosting their intelligence and efficiency. According to the IMARC Group, the South Korea AI market is set to attain USD 30.00 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 26.60% from 2025-2033.

Growing media and entertainment applications

Increasing media and entertainment applications are fueling the South Korea commercial drones market growth. According to industry reports, as of May 2025, the media and entertainment industry in South Korea included 1.13K firms. Drones offer a unique, dynamic perspective that traditional filming equipment cannot easily achieve, making them popular tools in movie production, television broadcasting, music videos, sports coverage, and live events. Media companies in South Korea are employing drones to capture sweeping landscape shots, dramatic aerial sequences, and smooth tracking footage that enhance visual storytelling. The flexibility, precision, and cost-effectiveness of drones reduce the need for expensive crane setups or helicopters, making high-quality aerial footage more accessible to smaller production houses. In live broadcasting, drones provide real-time aerial views of concerts, festivals, parades, and sporting events, improving viewer engagement. Drones also support virtual tours and 360-degree video content, which are increasingly utilized for online media and promotional campaigns. As South Korea continues to lead in digital content creation and visual innovation, the demand for drones in the media and entertainment sector is growing steadily.

South Korea Commercial Drones Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the country and regional levels for ​2025-2033​. Our report has categorized the market based on weight, system, product, mode of operation, application, and end use.

Weight Insights:

• <2 Kg
• 2 Kg-25 Kg
• 25 Kg-150 Kg

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the weight. This includes <2 kg, 2 kg-25 kg, and 25 kg-150 kg.

System Insights:

• Hardware
  • Airframe
  • Propulsion System
  • Payloads
  • Others
• Software

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the system have also been provided in the report. This includes hardware (airframe, propulsion system, payloads, and others) and software.

Product Insights:

• Fixed Wing
• Rotary Blade
• Hybrid

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the product. This includes fixed wing, rotary blade, and hybrid.

Mode of Operation Insights:

• Remotely Operated
• Semi-Autonomous
• Autonomous

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the mode of operation have also been provided in the report. This includes remotely operated, semi-autonomous, and autonomous.

Application Insights:

• Filming and Photography
• Inspection and Maintenance
• Mapping and Surveying
• Precision Agriculture
• Surveillance and Monitoring
• Others

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the application. This includes filming and photography, inspection and maintenance, mapping and surveying, precision agriculture, surveillance and monitoring, and others.

End Use Insights:

• Agriculture
• Delivery and Logistics
• Energy
• Media and Entertainment
• Real Estate and Construction
• Security and Law Enforcement
• Others

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the end use have also been provided in the report. This includes agriculture, delivery and logistics, energy, media and entertainment, real estate and construction, security and law enforcement, and others.

Regional Insights:

• Seoul Capital Area
• Yeongnam (Southeastern Region)
• Honam (Southwestern Region)
• Hoseo (Central Region)
• Others

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include Seoul Capital Area, Yeongnam (Southeastern Region), Honam (Southwestern Region), Hoseo (Central Region), and others.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

South Korea Commercial Drones Market News:

• In October 2024, a team at Seoul National University of Science and Technology created a transport drone featuring several adaptable rotors that could adjust automatically to maintain equilibrium during flight and could function as a flying shopping cart for conveying items across uneven surfaces like stairs. It had commercial uses for transporting delicate or sensitive loads.
• In October 2024, Hogreen Air, a South Korean company, created a commercial drone powered by hydrogen fuel. The firm presented its new hydrogen-powered drone at the H2 Mobility Energy Environment Technology (MEET) conference held in Seoul. This innovative drone could operate for 14 consecutive hours. It operated on liquefied hydrogen fuel cells that had a density 800 times greater than hydrogen gas.

South Korea Commercial Drones Market Report Coverage:

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the South Korea commercial drones market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of weight?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of system?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of product?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of mode of operation?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of application?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of end use?
• What is the breakup of the South Korea commercial drones market on the basis of region?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the South Korea commercial drones market? 
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the South Korea commercial drones market?
• What is the structure of the South Korea commercial drones market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the South Korea commercial drones market? 

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC’s industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the South Korea commercial drones market from 2019-2033.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the South Korea commercial drones market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the South Korea commercial drones industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.