An electronic system allows a pilot to analyze his/her environment/geography at a rapid pace while the aircraft is in flight. These huge streams of data are read with the use of sensors and need to be stored, analyzed, and processed. Airborne optronics encompasses the development and support of sensors, as well as systems that are required by manned and unmanned aircraft.

The presence of superior technology in the defense aviation sector defines the military strength of a respective nation. Optronics or Opto-electronics is the application of electronics devices that source, detect, and control light and visual features of any object. An airborne optronics system of either manned and remotely operated aircraft, consists of support systems and sensors.

Airborne Optronics is used for high-altitude surveillance and detection by the military. An increase in the demand for technologically advanced mechanisms in the aerospace sector to monitor and detect environments have resulted in the exponential spike in the demand for Airborne Optronics.

The armed forces and security personnel employ airborne optronic devices for surveillance, identification, very accurate measurement, assessment, and defensive applications. Submarines, armored vehicles, manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as satellites are just a few areas of application for these types of devices. Airborne electro-optical sensors and systems enable aerial photo analysis to visualize infrastructures, troop movements, and targets, even in adverse weather conditions.

Key Market Segmentation:

Technology Type:

• Multispectral
• Hyperspectral

Application:

• Commercial
• Military

End-Use:

• OEM
• Aftermarket

Region:

• North America
• Europe
• APAC
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Drivers for Global Airborne Optronics Market

• Across the world, major regions are undergoing immense technological transformations and modernization. The ever-increasing complexity of assault maneuvers necessitates the use of images in numerous decision-making processes, which in turn necessitates the use of electro-optics technologies to counter increasing security risks and to speed-up decision-making processes. As a result, various military services must improve their respective electro-optic systems in order to deal with these security concerns.
• Electro-optic systems are utilized in the aerospace industry for non-destructive testing, and by border security organizations to monitor incursion attempts.
• Technological advancements are fueling the development of highly capable electro-optics systems that are used in several applications.
• With terrorist activities on the rise globally, there is a need to prevent intrusion attempts by terrorist organizations, and as such, for advanced surveillance systems. This is another major factor that is anticipated to augment the revenue growth of this target market as well.

Restraints for Global Airborne Optronics Market

• The Electro-Optics (EO) sensors used in airborne optronics systems are weather sensitive. In a battlefield situation/environment, there are natural conditions such as fog and haze that may hamper visibility. Battlefield-Induced Contaminants (BIC), such as smoke from burning targets and dust produced by strikes, can further obscure a target image since these circumstances vary and are difficult to predict properly, even with the most up-to-date meteorological and intelligence data. Any atmospheric interference reduces the effectiveness of an optronic system. As a result, the sensitivity of these electro-optic sensors in extreme weather conditions may pose challenges to the performance of an EO/IR system.

Opportunity for Global Airborne Optronics Market:

• The emergence of new, advanced, and autonomous alternative modes of transportation and urban air mobility platforms are expected to boost the airborne optronics market. Urban air mobility platforms comprise of air taxis, air ambulances, and personal aerial vehicles. Each of these urban air mobility platforms serves a different purpose, and hence, systems are designed and manufactured accordingly.
• The key purpose of urban air mobility is to facilitate intracity transportation to reduce stress on existing urban mobility solutions. The development of these newer-generation aerial platforms has increased the demand for new and improved sensor systems that perform better in unpredictable conditions. This is a factor that is also expected to boost market growth prospects.

Trends for the Global Airborne Optronics Market

• With advancements in the field of image sensors, there is a wider range of surveillance and target detection. However, nanotechnology advancements have allowed for the development of smaller and more efficient electro-optics devices, as well as advanced technologies such as multispectral technologies used in airborne optronics with a track & search system, surveillance system etc. This factor is anticipated to fuel the demand for these systems in the coming years.

Competitive Landscape:

• Aselsan A.Ş.
• Bae Systems plc.
• Collins Aerospace
• Elbit Systems Ltd.
• Excelitas Technologies Corporation
• Flir Systems Inc.
• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Thales SA
• FLIR Systems Inc.

Recent Development in the Key Players:

1. Elbit Systems Ltd. revealed in March 2021 that it has secured a five-year deal for US$ 300 million from an Asian nation to provide HermesTM 900 Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The organization will deliver its Hermes 900 UAS and related subsystems, as well as maintenance and support services, under the terms of this deal.
2. In February 2021, Northrop Grumman Corporation’s RQ-4D Phoenix Global Hawk enabled NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) Force to achieve a declaration of Initial Operating Capability (IOC) from the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, giving NATO commanders the ability to perform uninterrupted in theater operations 24/7, 365.

---

For the Airborne Optronics Market research study, the following years have been considered to estimate the market size: