A new study by ABI Research has revealed that the market for military robot technology is not only maintaining its healthy growth streak, but will continue to develop into excess of $8 billion in 2016.
ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 29 research and advisory service
The military robot market includes a variety of machines that effectively replace humans on the battlefield. Amongst the robots are unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles, and unmanned underwater vehicles.
“While the use of semi-autonomous or autonomous robots can improve military efficiency, accuracy, and operational performance, the overriding ROI for these systems is the ability to reduce the likelihood of injury or death,” stated Larry Fisher, research director of ABI .These defence robotic systems are already in use in 50 to 80 countries. And those countries that do not already use these systems are in the process of building and acquiring the technology.
These huge developments in the robotics industry stem from certain attempts to improve military strategy including preventing casualties on the field, altering reconnaissance tactics, reducing military spending, developing materials science, and creating more advanced robots.
The robotics industry faces several conflicts though involving the most prominent of which: the weak economy. The other hot controversial topic is the ethical questions that arise out of using robots in place of humans for active duty combat.
Fisher continued, “ABI Research projects that the market for military robots will remain healthy throughout the forecast period and beyond, with even greater opportunities opening up by the end of the decade, driven by technological advances and a growing, real-world track record of tangible benefits offered by these systems.”
Working against the military use of robots is the fact that continuing weak economic conditions that negatively impact spending on defence systems; a dearth of active military conflicts for most of the world, reduces the need for new defence systems.
In developed countries, military spending is often “recession-proof,” so weak economic conditions are unlikely to impact defence robot spending greatly, since even the most expensive robot systems are far less expensive than equivalent manned systems.
As a result, says Fisher, “ABI Research projects that the market for military robots will remain healthy throughout the forecast period and beyond, with even greater opportunities opening up by the end of the decade, driven by technological advances and a growing, real-world track record of tangible benefits offered by these systems.”
This study is published as part of ABI Research’s Human Machine Technology Research Service.