LexisNexis Study Finds China and US Level on Drone Patent Value Despite Volume Gap
A LexisNexis report published on Thursday reveals that while Chinese firms dominate in the number of next-generation drone patents filed, American companies are on par with them in terms of quality. In 2024, China accounted for 44 percent of global drone patent applications, compared to 17 percent from the US. However, when assessing patent value, both nations are nearly equal, indicating similar global patent asset worth for this technology. The civil unmanned aerial systems market is expected to grow by up to US$150 billion from 2023 to 2032. DJI, the leading company based in Shenzhen, has seen its patent share decline to 4 percent, trailing behind US rivals like Boeing and Amazon, down from 24 percent in late 2018. This trend points to start-ups fueling innovation, with US firms focusing more on patent value than volume.
Key facts
- Chinese companies accounted for 44 per cent of global drone patent filings in 2024, versus 17 per cent for US firms.
- By value, US drone patents were on par with China's, leaving total global patent asset value roughly even.
- The civil unmanned aerial systems market is expected to add up to US$150 billion from 2023 to 2032.
- DJI holds only 4 per cent of the industry's total patent assets, barely ahead of Boeing and Amazon.
- DJI held roughly 24 per cent of industry patents at the end of 2018, more than the rest of the top 10 combined.
- The study was published by LexisNexis on Thursday.
- Chinese and US firms are described as 'neck-and-neck' in patent quality for next-generation drones.
- Start-ups are cited as a driver of innovation in the drone patent landscape.
Entities
Institutions
- LexisNexis
- DJI
- Boeing
- Amazon
Locations
- China
- United States
- Shenzhen