[Avionics Today 04-17-2015] Demand for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is steadily decreasing as the planned production of several procurement programs draw to a close, according to a new report released by Frost and Sullivan.
According to the report, future spending will favor upgrades and logistical support for existing UAS platforms. Upgrades will particularly focus on optimizing the size, weight, power and cooling requirements of sensors and subsystems while reducing cost. New analysis finds the DOD funding for UAS stood at $3.53 billion in 2014 and estimates this to reach $6.64 billion in 2019, a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.8 percent.
"In the face of budget reductions, the Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) of UAS data has been overlooked in favor of advancements in sensors," said Frost & Sullivan Aerospace and Defense Senior Industry Analyst Michael Blades. "PED must be developed to respond to the unprecedented growth in data collection caused by the rapid proliferation of platforms and payload capabilities."