, Columnist
The Drone Industry Crashes to Earth
Some civilian manufacturers are in full retreat.
This article is for subscribers only.
Attendees at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week could play around with a dizzying array of unmanned aerial vehicles. Drones that take selfies. Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras to see at night. Drones that help fishermen chase their prey.
No use is too niche as drone-makers chase a market that's forecast to grow an average 32 percent annually over the next decade to reach $30 billion, according to ABI Research. But away from the showroom floor, a chill has settled on a once-hyped market.