The US exported the most drones over the past few years — but the second-biggest exporter might surprise you

Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reveals that the United States led global military drone exports between 2022 and 2025, recording 7,592 shipments. Iran followed closely in second place with 6,800 deliveries, primarily consisting of Shahed-136 one-way attack systems destined for Russia. While the US dominated the early period, Iran surpassed American export volumes in 2025 as US deliveries to Ukraine declined. Germany, Poland, and Turkey also featured prominently in the rankings, with Turkey distinguishing itself through a diverse international network of 28 customer countries. The SIPRI report focuses on military drones weighing over 150 kilograms, noting that 97% of these exports were expendable attack platforms. These findings highlight a significant shift in the global unmanned aircraft market, driven largely by ongoing geopolitical conflicts and the increasing prevalence of one-way attack systems in modern military arsenals.