Solar Powered Drone Market

The solar-powered drone market is projected to grow from USD 0.03 billion in 2026 to USD 0.16 billion by 2035 at a CAGR of 18.4%. This growth is driven by improvements in satellite communication, enabling solar-powered UAVs to support Communication Relay, connectivity, and long-duration operations in remote areas.

Some major market players include AALTO HAPS Ltd. (UK), Skydweller Aero Inc. (US), and AeroVironment, Inc. (US). These companies are developing solar-powered UAVs, long-endurance UAVs, and HAPS for applications such as communication relay, persistent surveillance, earth observation, and remote sensing. Their activities include product development, flight testing, government contracts, connectivity programs, and partnerships, supporting the use of solar-powered aircraft for long-duration operations.

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AALTO HAPS Ltd. (UK) is a major company in the solar-powered drone market, focused on the Zephyr HAPS, a solar-powered stratospheric UAV designed for long-duration operations. Zephyr has recorded more than 67 continuous days of stratospheric flight and uses solar arrays and lightweight batteries for power. AALTO is developing applications in Communication Relay and Earth Observation and, in March 2026, signed an agreement with Telkomsel to support future Zephyr operations in Indonesia.

Skydweller Aero Inc. (US) develops large solar-powered UAVs for long-endurance UAV, persistent surveillance, communication relay, and Earth observation applications. In July 2025, the company completed a multi-day flight campaign with the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, including more than 74 hours of continuous solar-powered flight. In January 2026, Skydweller, Nokia Federal Solutions, and Tangram Flex received a U.S. Air Force contract to demonstrate an airborne private network using the solar-powered aircraft.

AeroVironment, Inc. (US) has a broader unmanned systems portfolio and is also developing Solar HAPS – Sunglider for long-duration airborne operations. The platform is positioned under AeroVironment's Space Systems and Resilient Communications capabilities, linking solar-powered flight with communication applications. AeroVironment's fiscal year 2026 revenue reached USD 1.98 billion, which helps reflect its larger overall unmanned systems business along with its ability to support development of advanced UAV platforms.

Market Ranking

The solar-powered drone market includes companies developing solar-powered UAVs, long-endurance UAVs, and HAPS for extended aerial operations. AALTO HAPS, Skydweller Aero, and AeroVironment are among the key companies because they are developing and testing solar-powered aircraft for communication relay, persistent surveillance, Earth observation, and remote sensing. These companies support different parts of the market, including solar electric propulsion, high-efficiency solar cells, energy management systems, autonomous flight, and satellite communication integration. Their platforms are being developed for defense, government, telecommunications, environmental monitoring, and other users that require long-duration aerial operations and connectivity over remote or large geographic areas.

Related Reports:

Solar-Powered Drone Market by Energy Architecture (Fully Solar-Electric UAV, Solar-Assisted Battery UAV), Drone Type (Small, Medium, Large), Operating Altitude, Application, and Region — Global Forecast to 2035

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