Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

These systems operate without a human being positioned on or within the vehicle, and their operation is achieved through autonomous or remote control. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle feeds to the Unmanned Systems blended market.

This document contains definitions for the market, customer missions, and unique market attributes.

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Market includes:

Fixed-wing, rotary wing and hybrid (e.g. tilt-rotor) aerial vehicles;
Tethered and un-tethered variants;
Target systems not intended for re-use including formerly manned platforms fitted for remote control;
Significant system upgrades, modernization or refurbishment programs;
Service and support focused within the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle market.

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Market does not include:

Manned air or space systems;
Space or exo-atmospheric vehicles (contained in the Spacecraft market);
One-way attack platforms such as missiles (contained in Missile market);
Ground Stations (see C2 market, or the Unmanned Systems Blended market);
Company-funded research and development;
Government budget for overhead and program management.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Customer Function

Air Superiority	Aircraft whose primary design and use is to deny an adversary any access to or operational capability in, the airspace.
Bomber	A high value strike and attack aircraft typically having strategic range capabilities, crew, engine, endurance, and multiple weapon payload options.
GFE	Government Furnished Equipment, occurring when equipment, usually propulsion, is contracted separately from the platform and prime contractor. This Functional Segment serves to help segregate GFE sales from Parent platform sales. Examples of GFE include: military aircraft main propulsion, ship engines and nuclear reactors and steam systems.
Ground Support	Aircraft with the primary design, loiter and range to support attacking and/or defending military ground operations.
Mine Warfare	Those platforms with the capability to detect and/or clear mines.
Multi-Role Combat	Aircraft designed for multi-role military combat missions and for use when the mission or aircraft function is largely decided upon by the sortie weapon payload(s).
Multi-Role Electronic	Any one of several aircraft types especially designed and operating with various C2 and/or ISR payloads, characterized by low quantity, high value, and combat adverse features.
Tanker	Aircraft equipped to carry and execute in-flight re-fueling for other aircraft in order to extend their operational range and endurance.
Trainer	Equipment used in military exercises and as flight trainers/simulators.
Transport	Aircraft primarily used to transport personnel and cargo.
Multiple	This category includes any instance when the record involves more than one functional segmentation category.
Other	Miscellaneous aircraft that do not fit into any of the other functional segment groups.
Research & Technology	Broad based and general military aircraft related technology.
Unidentified R&D	A modeled estimate of R&D Sales not yet identified.

Unmanned Air Vehicle Attributes

Operating Environment

Operating Environment is an attribute which defines the general conditions of flight for the UAV.

EHALE	Extreme High Altitude and Endurance. An aerial vehicle which operates at extremely high altitudes (upper Stratosphere to Thermosphere) and may endure for periods exceeding a month.
VHALE	Very High Altitude and Endurance. Operates in stratosphere and can endure for days.
HALE	High-altitude, long endurance aerial unmanned vehicle that is designed to operate in the stratosphere (above 50,000 feet) and for duration longer than 12 hours.
MALE	Medium-altitude, long endurance airborne unmanned vehicle that operates in the troposphere (below 50,000 feet) and for duration longer than 12 hours.
MALE/HALE	Medium/high-altitude, long endurance aerial unmanned vehicle that is designed to perform at both medium and high altitudes for duration longer than 12 hours.
Tactical	Operates in lower to middle troposphere at less than 12 hours endurance. Performs wide variety of missions in that realm.
Close In	Typically operates under 5,000 feet for periods under one hour.
Hand Held	Launched by hand and typically operates under 1,000 feet for periods of less than 30 minutes.
Research & Tech	An aerial vehicle that is in the very early stages of definition and has yet to be formed into a specific requirement.
In Review	Programs which have issues which impact the platform classification.

Maximum Weight

Maximum Weight (pounds) is an attribute reflecting maximum allowable gross weight at takeoff.

0-0.22
0.23-2.2
2.3-66.0
67-440
441-2,200
2,201-4,400
4,401-11,000
11,001-22,000
22,001-33,000
33,001+
Research & Tech - Broad based and general UAV related technology.
In Review - The performance characteristics are not known at this time.

NATO Class

NATO Class is an attribute that divides Unmanned Aerial Vehicles into three classes: I, II, and III

Class I <150 kg
Class II 150 kg to 600 kg
Class III > 600 kg
Aerostats
In Review

MAA Category

The UK Military Aviation Authority (MAA) further subdivides Class I into four (a, b, c and d) and categorizes UAVs on a case-by-case basis, initially based on the minimum take-off weight combined with how the UAV is intended to be used and where it is expected to be operated. Jane’s Markets Forecast also includes categories to cover records where the class/ category are as yet unknown or awaiting definition or to cover Aerostats.

Class I(a) <200 g
Class I(b) 200g to <2kg
Class I(c) 2kg to <20kg
Class I(d) 20kg to <150kg
Class II 150kg to 600kg
Class III >600kg
Aerostats
Research & Tech
In Review

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle