While it is impossible to track each and every drone company in such a fast-moving industry, we’ve done our best to highlight the biggest players and to give you a sense of who is doing what in the drone industry.

For easy navigation, we’ve organized these companies into categories according to their drone services and core offerings.

Ranking of Hardware Companies That Make Drones and Drone Accessories.

1.DJI

DJI is one of the top consumer drone manufacturers, known mainly for their Mavic series. The Mavi series has become the quintessential drone for new to intermediate pilots and videographers and the simultaneous launch in late 2018 of the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom was huge news in the industry. In 2020, they launched the revolutionary Mavic Mini, packing high quality drone features into a tiny drone that weighs only a half pound.

2. Parrot

Although Parrot stepped away from the toy drone market in 2019, they still produce one of the best drones in the market. Their ANAFI camera drone is always a favorite in its list around the web. Parrot also designs, develops and markets consumer products for smartphones and tablets other than consumer UAVs and drones. They are also working with the US Department of Defense to build short – range military reconnaissance aircraft.

3. Yuneec

Yuneec first started innovating in the aircraft industry before creating the first commercially successful, ready-to-fly fixed wing RC airplane. Eventually, they transitioned into their increasingly popular aerial video quadcopter. In early 2017, they announced the launch of the Typhoon H520, designed specifically for commercial applications as well as a  huge customer service initiative to provide high quality service. In 2018, adding to their list of first, they launched the first ever voice-controlled drone, Mantis Q.

4. Kespry

Kespry manufactures drones made specifically for capturing, viewing and analyzing aerial imagery and survey data. Their customers include aggregates, mining, construction and surveying companies.

5. Autel Robotics

Autel Robotics have been delivering solutions for new aerial exploration through the market leading quadcopter and camera drone technology. They emphasize transforming complex technology into simple solutions and creating easy-to-use aerial devices for photography /fiming and imaging.

6. Skydio

Skydio was founded in 2014. In 2018, it launched the R1, which was widely regarded as a breakthrough in autonomous drones for consumers and as a platform for commercial development. In 2019, the company launched Skydio 2, which sold out in a single day. Skydio 2 is built around the Skydio Autonomy Engine – the most advanced flying artificial intelligence system in the world.

7. Insitu

Inset runs the gamut uf drone services providing hardware in the form of commercial-focused drones; software for extracting intelligence from raw data gathered by drones; and drone-related services for commercial applications such as surveying and reconnaissance. Their ScanEagle drone was designed for aerial imaging with diverse applications such as agricultural assessment, oil or gas pipeline inspection and force protection.

8. Delair

Delair is a leading provider of drone based solutions for enterprise. The company’s offerings combine high performance, long range fixed-wing UAV hardware with sophisticated analytics technology and operational services. They’re well known for their fixed wig drones such as the UX11. But Delair does not only make drones. They also offer a full suite of industry-specific analytics software for aerial data processing as well as intuitive flight planning tools. Their end0to0end solutions are used globally by customers in industries such as mining, construction, agriculture, utilities, transportation, oil and gas.

9. EHang

EHang designs and manufactures drones that can be controlled entirely via a smartphone app. Their GhostDrone 2.0 has some great features such as self protection which makes it automatically return in case of low battery or lost communication; dual sensors, so that a back up kicks in if the first sensor fails;and app control designed so that “smart algorithms” kick in to reduce human error during flight. EHang continues to explore the boundaries of the sky with their pilotless air taxi, the EHang 216 which seats two passengers. The EHang 216 made its first US trial in early 2020.

10. Aerialtronics

Aerialtronics designs, produces and services commercial unmanned aircraft systems. Their latest generation, the Altura Zenith combines state of the art technology with a flat, compact and lightweight design. With aside range of payload compatibility, from dual vision cameras to  gas sniffers to radiation detectors, Aerialtronics systems can be applied to a wide variety of segments including: Safety & Security, Inspection, Surveying & Mapping, Agriculture and Research.

Ranking As Per The Drone Industry News

The best in the industry for breaking news and in-depth analyses.

1. The Drone Girl

The Drone Girl is a drone focused news site run by reporter Sally Fench, regular contributor to MarketWatch and The Wall Street journal, among several other news sites. The Drone Girl was created with the intent of exploring drones and how they can assist the world via the imagery they produce and is an outlet to publish aerial photos, videos and stories about the evolution of drones.

2.The FAA

The FAA regularly updated its website and sends out a newsletter with the latest information about drone regulations and related news. To subscribe to their drone-related newsletter, go to their drone-focused webpage and click the envelope icon with the plus sign on the upper right hand corner of the page.

3. DroneLife

DroneLife provides the latest drone news, product releases, YouTube videos and legal precedents to help drone enthusiasts and professionals stay informed about everything related to drones.

4. Inside Drones

Inside Drones provides news for hobbyists, professionals and investors in the drone industry. They have weekly newsletter that features a video of the week and an aggregate of the top drone news stories.

5. Drone business center

Drone Business Center provides in depth analyses of goings on in the drone industry including close looks at regulatory developments. Dronin’ On is their weekly commentary and news summary and also one of the best news sources in the industry.

6. Bard Center for the Study of the Drone

Bard Center for the Study of The Drone conducts studies in the drone industry and publishes a “weekly roundup” newsletter that is a great source for data and insights.

7. Drone Industry Insights

Drone Industry Insights is a drone industry research group that publishes reports, infographics and white papers. Democratizing drone market intelligence, current trends and future potential is at the core of their philosophy. They also provide consulting services and custom drone market studies to provide business intelligence for their clients.

8. Women and Drones

Women and Drones shares stories about women in the drone industry and works to raise the profile and visibility of women in the UAS industry. Every year, they award and recognize leading women in the industry on their Wome To Watch in UAS list.

9. sUAS News

sUAS News is one of the leading sources for news and information in the drone industry. sUAS pilots and professionals in 2008 (which is a lifetime ago in the fast moving world of drones and shows a good deal of forethought).

10. DroneDJ

DroneDJ is a breaking news resource for new drone product launches. They cover brands such as DJI, Yuneec, GoPro, Ryze, Volcopter and others in great detail.

There are many other various sectors like;

*Flight Operations Management

Tracking, storing, sharing and analyzing flights and flight data including tools for team collaboration.

To learn more about flight ops management tools

*Mapping and Data Processing Tools

Enabling drone pilots to use all the data gathered by their drones.

To learn more about software for mapping with drones.

*Marketplaces and Databases

Places for drone pilots to find work and promote their drone services.

*Funders

Companies that invest in or provide funding for other drone companies.

*Drone Delivery

Companies that make deliveries by drone.

*Drone Racing

Companies that organize and host drone racing.

*Drone Conferences and Events

The Biggest and Best Conferences in the drone industry for drone service providers and manufacturers.