China leads drone patent volume but US matches quality as start-ups drive innovation: study

The LexisNexis report distinguishes between the volume of patent filings and their assessed value. While China leads significantly in the number of drone patents, the study calculates that US drone patents are on par in value, resulting in roughly even global patent asset value for the technology between the two countries. This suggests that the sheer quantity of intellectual property does not unilaterally determine leadership in innovation.

A notable shift highlighted in the report is the changing position of DJI, the Shenzhen-based industry leader. DJI's share of the industry's total patent assets has declined from approximately 24 percent in 2018 to just 4 percent. This places it only marginally ahead of US firms such as Boeing and Amazon in patent holdings.

This reduction in DJI's patent dominance indicates a more distributed landscape for drone innovation. The civil unmanned aerial systems market is projected to reach a total of US$150 billion between 2023 and 2032, suggesting that competition for intellectual property in this growing sector is broadening beyond a single dominant player.