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: AI video analytics. 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
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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
AI video analytics is a key innovation area in artificial intelligence
AI video analytics involves using AI techniques, such as machine learning and computer vision, to analyze and extract meaningful information from video footage. It utilizes algorithms and models to automatically identify and interpret objects, events, and patterns in video data, enabling applications such as surveillance, object tracking, crowd monitoring, and activity detection. AI video analytics aims to enhance the capabilities of traditional video surveillance systems by providing intelligent insights and real-time alerts.
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 1,170+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established aerospace and defense companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of AI video analytics.
Key players in AI video analytics – 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 AI video analytics
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) | 124 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nvidia | 138 | Unlock Company Profile |
| LG Electronics | 90 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Global Technologies | 91 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Electronics | 212 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baidu USA | 41 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch | 89 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Amazon Technologies | 44 | Unlock Company Profile |
| KLA-Tencor | 36 | Unlock Company Profile |
| BOE Technology Group | 51 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) | 76 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fujitsu | 80 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Huawei Technologies | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
| 107 | Unlock Company Profile | |
| Beijing Baidu Netcom Science Technology | 99 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HRL Laboratories | 40 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens Healthcare | 94 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft Technology Licensing | 141 | Unlock Company Profile |
| HERE Global | 34 | Unlock Company Profile |
| GM Global Technology Operations | 47 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Capital One Services | 71 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Adobe Assets | 224 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fujifilm | 76 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Qualcomm | 62 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Microsoft | 143 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Motor | 54 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare | 43 | Unlock Company Profile |
| KLA | 49 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Salesforce | 55 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Meta Platforms | 119 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Electric | 56 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Panasonic | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Canon | 135 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sony Group | 77 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Advanced New Technologies | 46 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NVIDIA | 145 | Unlock Company Profile |
| IBM | 369 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toshiba | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| NEC | 154 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 177 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Ford Motor | 100 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Snap | 39 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Enlitic | 79 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing TuSimple Future Technology | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Beijing SenseTime Technology Development | 79 | Unlock Company Profile |
| X Development | 33 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Stradvision | 80 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Toyota Research Institute | 37 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Boeing is one of the leading patent filers in AI video analytics. The company filed patents related to systems and methods of tracking and classifying objects through video analysis.
The process involves utilizing at least one processing device to access a video frame containing the object of interest, conducting object detection on the frame to identify the object, employing a persistent tracking capability to track the object across multiple frames over time, isolating a segment of the frame containing the object, classifying the object through deep learning by processing the segment using the processing device, and producing an output, signaling the classification of the object of interest.
Some other key patent filers in the AI video analytics space include Raytheon, Airbus, and General Dynamics.
In terms of application diversity KLA, General Electric, and NVIDIA are some of the leading innovators. By means of geographic reach, some of the leading patent filers include KLA, International Business Machines (IBM), and Samsung.
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.
