The aerospace and defense industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and the growing importance of technologies such as drones, satellite technology, and big data. In the last three years alone, there have been over 237,000 patents filed and granted in the aerospace and defense industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Artificial intelligence in defense: satellite image smoothing. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
110 innovations will shape the aerospace and defense industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the aerospace and defense industry using innovation intensity models built on over 206,000 patents, there are 110 innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, precision imaging drones, aircraft maintenance AI, and AI video analytics are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Aerial imaging, autonomous flight controls, and surveillance AI are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily.
Innovation S-curve for artificial intelligence in the aerospace and defense industry
Satellite image smoothing is a key innovation area in artificial intelligence
Satellite image smoothing refers to the process of reducing the noise and enhancing the visual quality of satellite images. It involves various techniques and algorithms aimed at removing unwanted artifacts and imperfections from the images, resulting in a smoother and more visually appealing appearance.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 200+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established aerospace and defense companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of satellite image smoothing.
Key players in satellite image smoothing – a disruptive innovation in the aerospace and defense industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to satellite image smoothing
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Orica | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| AeroVironment | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Thales | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lockheed Martin | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft | 26 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Cognex | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Johnson & Johnson | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baidu | 44 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Repsol | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Reliance Industries | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Pictometry International | 21 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Hexagon | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| State Grid Corporation of China | 20 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Schlumberger | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| CEA | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Northrop Grumman | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| U.S. Department of Defence | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| M&T Bank | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ADOBE | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| China Southern Power Grid | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BAE Systems | 15 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Leonardo | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bayer | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Raytheon Technologies | 53 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Teledyne Technologies | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 42 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ministry of Defence (UK) | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nippon Telegraph and Telephone | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Dynamics | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Boeing | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Maxar Technologies | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Airbus | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IBM | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SoftBank Group | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NEC | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Great Circle Technologies | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Matterport | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Skydio | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SZ DJI Technology | 67 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Raytheon | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Antarctica Capital | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| EagleView Technologies | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Autel Robotics USA | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
| X Development | 22 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Chang Guang Satellite Technology | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Geomni | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shenzhen Autel Intelligent Aviation Technology | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Compagnie Merieux Alliance | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Uni-President China | 17 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Raytheon Technologies is one of the leading patent filers in satellite image smoothing. The company, through its subsidiary Rosemount Aerospace, has filed patents related to cloud detection in aerial imagery.
The method helps find clouds in pictures taken from above, comparing a specific area in the picture to a similar area in another picture. It calculates the amount of shared information between these areas. If there is a lot of shared information, it means there might be a cloud in that area of the picture.
Some other significant patent filers in the satellite image smoothing space include Boeing, Thales, and Lockheed Martin.
In terms of application diversity, Skydio, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus are some of the leading innovators. By means of geographic reach, some of the leading patent filers include General Dynamics, Leonardo, and Airbus.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the aerospace and defense industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Defense.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
