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The commercial unmanned aerial system (UAS) market continues to grow globally and was accelerated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) are, and will remain, the main drivers promoting commercial UAS adoption and associated market growth because autonomous flight reduces the need for expensive manpower whereas AI-driven data collection and processing reduces the time it takes to produce results that directly impact decision-making. Civil aviation authorities have not been able to adapt regulatory frameworks to keep pace with the technological and operational advances that enable commercial UAS operations, and this has been a major restraint to market growth. In addition, solutions providers are only gradually improving their ability to explain the benefits of drone use, for a wide range of applications areas, to corporate decision-makers.