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The US exported 7,593 military drones between 2022 and 2025, while Iran shipped 6,800, with most supplies supporting opposing sides in the Ukraine war.
The United States and Iran dominated the global military drone trade between 2022 and 2025, together accounting for around 85 per cent of all exported military drones, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The US exported 7,593 military drones during the period, giving it a 45.1 per cent share of global exports. Iran followed with 6,800 drones, or 40.4 per cent of the total. Germany was a distant third with 1,000 drones, followed by Poland with 690.
The figures cover drones weighing at least 150 kg, along with one-way attack drones and loitering munitions. Small FPV and commercial drones are largely excluded.
The export patterns also reflect the sharply divided nature of the Ukraine war. Around 95 per cent of US drone exports went to Ukraine, while 99 per cent of Iran’s exports were supplied to Russia.
One-way attack drones and loitering munitions accounted for 97 per cent of all military drones exported globally during the period. Nearly all of Iran’s shipments consisted of Shahed-136 drones, which Russia has also assembled and produced under licence.
US exports rose from 1,010 drones in 2022 to 3,219 in 2024 before dropping sharply to 402 in 2025. Iran, meanwhile, maintained shipments at around 2,000 drones annually between 2023 and 2025.
More from BusinessGermany emerged as a major supplier to Ukraine in 2025, exporting 1,000 loitering munitions as aid. Meanwhile, most US drones exported that year went to Taiwan.
Türkiye ranked fifth by volume, with 381 drones exported, but had the widest customer base. It supplied military drones to 28 countries between 2022 and 2025, more than any other exporter.
Unlike the US and Iran, Türkiye’s exports were dominated by reusable military aircraft such as the Bayraktar TB2. SIPRI’s alternative trend-indicator value metric, which measures the military capability transferred rather than simply counting units, therefore places Türkiye as the world’s largest drone exporter during the period.
