Approximately 300 companies are present in the market.
The Polish drone market is relatively scattered with many sole proprietorships and 6 larger companies that generate 12% of sales (excluding pure trading companies):
- Grupa Dron House SA (training, production, services): 1.8 million Swiss francs
- Neodronevision Sp. z o.o. (services): 1.2 million Swiss francs
- Flytronic Sp. z o.o. (production): 1.2 million Swiss francs
- Instrumenty Geodezyjne Tadeusz Nadowski Sp. J. (services): 1.1 million Swiss francs
- Eurotech Sp z.o.o. (production): 0.8 million Swiss francs
- Flytech UAV Sp z o.o. (production, services, training): 0.3 million Swiss francs
Services with drones are gaining in importance
55% of sales are generated through the drone trade (2015: 62%), 33% through services including training for licensed operators (2015: 17%) and 12% (2015: 21%) through production.
Drones are finding application in various sectors. Approximately 90% of aerial film recordings are done using drones. Another example is the Polish railway group PKP Cargo, which uses drones for security purposes, or the Polish Electricity Networks (PSE) and Gaz-System, who monitor power networks and test gas lines with the help of drones. Drones are also increasingly used for precision measurements in the construction industry. According to PwC’s Drone Powered Solutions consulting team, beneficial legal frameworks and broad knowledge in engineering and geodesy in Poland will contribute to the use of drones in other areas.
In Poland there are 3,523 drone operators (compared to 1,700 in the previous year), which is more than France (2,905) and the United Kingdom (2,237). It is worth mentioning that Poland occupies the first place in the EU and the second place in the world in terms of the number of operators per 100,000 inhabitants.
Promotion for drones
Drones were mentioned in the development strategy of the Polish economy as a forward-looking sector that can count on state support.
Initial funding measures are already in place. The Polish National Center for Research and Development is accepting applications for financial support for producers of unmanned aerial vehicles from October 16 to December 18. The budget is 13.5 million Swiss francs. The support is intended for companies wishing to undertake research and development in the field of unmanned platforms, aircraft and related industrial applications.
In October 2017, the Polish State Development Fund also announced special support measures for the drone sector intended to cover the following areas: integration with air traffic, cyber security systems, data processing systems, data monitoring systems and competence centers where new technologies are tested.
Business opportunities for Swiss SMEs
The developments in the Polish market offer export opportunities for Swiss companies that provide solutions for the drones industry. Swiss companies can also conclude joint ventures with Polish companies in order to benefit from future funding programs.
Would you like to learn more about how S-GE and the Swiss Business Hub Poland can assist you with your business plans? Register for a conversation with an employee of SBH Poland during the next country consultation days or contact Katalin Dreher-Hajnal, our consultant for Poland, to arrange a free consultation appointment.
