The tethered drone market size was valued at US$ 429.07 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 2378.12 million by 2031. The tethered drones market size is estimated to register a CAGR of 29.3%% during 2025-2031. .

Tethered Drone stakeholders have a huge opportunity in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. Airports in Southeast Asian countries are the fastest-growing airports in the world. Turkish Cargo is increasing its presence with the launch of new freighter services. The airports of Singapore, Incheon, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are supporting national carriers to expand air freight and also encouraging operators to increase services. These initiatives are expected to reduce trade with China and increase some transfer cargo traffic in Taiwan from ASEAN. Companies such as APEX Logistics and SEKO Logistics have strategically expanded their operations in Southeast Asian countries. Between 2024 and 2025, governments and private entities have invested billions into airport infrastructure. For instance, the government of India committed US$ 18 billion under the National Infrastructure Pipeline, with significant investments by Adani Airports and others in major hubs such as Mumbai, Lucknow, and Jaipur. Mumbai is already a dominant freight hub, and it continues to benefit from its strategic location and robust infrastructure, handling the highest cargo volumes in India.

The North America tethered drone market is segmented into the US, Canada, and Mexico. Owing to their wide application in the military and commercial sectors, companies are developing tethered drones in such a way that they can be used in any critical situation. In addition, the use of tethered drones in commercial sectors, including sports, power & energy, and agriculture, is rising tremendously.

The US Department of Defense is a major user, leveraging tethered drones for continuous surveillance, intelligence gathering, and security at critical infrastructure and remote military bases. Tethered drones offer near-limitless flight endurance due to their ground-based power supply, making them ideal for long-duration missions but with limited mobility. The expenditure on defense in North America surged from US$ 886.3 billion in 2022 to ~ US$ 968.4 billion in 2023 and ~ US$ 916 billion in 2024. The US is leading the market for tethered drones in North America, followed by Canada and Mexico. The high defense expenditure indicates the country's focus and emphasis on advancing the defense sector to meet the growing need for security. The defense expenditure covers operation and maintenance, procurement, research and development, testing and evaluation, and military personnel. With the application of drone technology, soaring advancements in defense technology are boosting the market's growth in North America..

In the US, tethered drones are used for military, law enforcement, and border security, acting as an integral part of their remote security drone operations. The country uses tethered drones for border security and Forward Operating Base (FOB) protection. The nation is seeking advanced tethered drones to keep the defense sector technologically updated. These drones help Army officials develop tactics, techniques, and procedures for the operation, propelling the demand for tethered drones in the military sector. Tethered drones are also used to monitor gatherings and events, traffic management, and sports in the country.

For instance,

- In December 2024, after rigorous validation and environmental testing, Hoverfly Technologies announced its award of the US Army Variable Height Antenna - Heavy (VHA-H) program with their Spectre Tethered Unmanned Aerial System (TeUAS). This development will see Hoverfly's Spectre TeUAS deployed across critical operations as an integral part of the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN), underscoring the TeUAS's exceptional payload compatibility, versatile multi-mission capabilities, and unparalleled reliability.

Elistair, Acecore Technologies, Fotokite, Hoverfly Technologies, Novadem, Sky Sapience, Skyshot Private Limited, Mistral Solutions Pvt. Ltd., and Zenith Aerotech are among the key global tethered drone market players that are profiled in this market study.

The overall global tethered drone market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources. Exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the global tethered drone market size. The process also helps obtain an overview and forecast of the market with respect to all the market segments. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants to validate the data and gain analytical insights. This process includes industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders, specializing in the global tethered drone market.