Market and Technology Trends
Thermal Imaging and Sensing 2022
By Yole Intelligence —
After a blip in the market due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market is now back to normal and will be driven by traditional applications to a valuation of $9.2B in 2027.
Key Features
- Provide market data on key thermal detectors (thermopiles, pyroelectrics) and imagers (microbolometers), including market metrics and dynamics:
- Thermal detectors and thermal imagers/cameras in units and revenue, split by market segment
- Historical market data for 2019, 2020 & 2021, educated estimations for 2022, and market forecasts up to 2027
- Market shares for thermal detectors and imagers
- Market share evolution of Asian and Chinese players
- Provide key technical insights into future technology trends and challenges
- Deliver an in-depth understanding of the thermal imaging value chain, infrastructure, and players:
- Who are the industrial thermal sensor players, and where are they positioned?
- More generally, which are the key players to watch, and how will the thermal detection/imaging market evolve?
- Present an in-depth analysis of thermal detectors and imagers for defense, automotive, industrial, and consumer applications
What’s new:
- Addition of another level of segmentation (industrial, consumer, and defense & aerospace markets)
- Update of the market forecast from 2019 to 2027 in units and $
- Evolution of the Chinese thermal imaging market share
- Evolution of the Asian thermal detector market share
- Consolidation of the Chinese thermal imaging players
- Substantial decrease in Asian thermal detector players
Product objectives
- The latest updates of thermal detector and imaging shipments and revenues
- Detailed analysis of the supply chain structures for each technology
- A focus on Asian and Chinese manufacturers
- Comprehensive overview of the market trends of each technology
Axis Communications, BAE, Baoding Jingze Optical & Electrical Technology Co. Ltd, Baoding Sanjing Electronics Material Co. Ltd., Beijing Acme Optoelectronic Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Dongyuhongda Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing FJR Optoeletronic Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Hongyuan Shengda Electro-Optic Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Huayuanhao Photoelectric Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing WanTengDaSi Technology Co. Ltd., Bosch, Bullard, Calumino, Caterpillar, CETC Electro-Optics Technology Co. Ltd., Chengdu Huishi Opto-Electronic Technology Co. Ltd., China Optical Infrared Technology (Dalian) Co. Ltd., CNBM Optoelectronic Materials Co. Ltd., Convergint, Cosinuss, Cypress, Dahua, Dali, Denso, Device-ALab, DeWalt, Dexter, Dias Infrared, DJI, Dongguan Xintai Instrument Co. Ltd., Dräger, Elbit Systems, Empatica, Excelitas, FaceSense, Fluke, Flyability, Flybotix, Foresight, FORTIC, Fujian Forecam Optics Co. Ltd., Fujitsu, Global Sensor Technology (GST), GreenWaves, GSTIR, Guangzhou SAT Infrared Technology Co. Ltd., Guide Sensmart, GuideIR, GWIC, GZLENS Optoelectronics China Co. Ltd., Hamamatsu, Hangzhou Zillion M&C Technology Co. Ltd., Hanhwa Techwin, Hebei IRhome Photoelectric Technology Co. Ltd., Heimann Sensors, Hensoldt, Hikvision, Hubei Jiuzhiang Infrared System Co. Ltd., i3system, Impossible, Infrared Cameras Inc, InfraTec, InVid, IR&D, IRay Technology Co. Ltd. (IRay / InfiRay), Irisys, Irlynx, Jenoptik, Kodenshi, Kunming Kaihang Optics Co. Ltd., Kyocera, L3 Harris, Leica, Leonardo DRS, LG Innotek, Lockheed Martin, Lucint, Luoyang AVIC Optronics Research Institute, Lynred, Melexis, Meridian Innovation, Micasense, Mikrosens, Mitsubishi Electric, MKS Ophir, Mobotix, MSA, Murata, NEC, Nextvision, Nicera, Northrop Grumman, NXP, Omron, ON Semi, Opgal, OptoTherm, Orisystech, Panasonic, Parrot, Pyreos, Rafael ADS, Raytheon, Raytron, Safran, SATIR, SCD, Schneider Electric, Schott, Seek Thermal, Semitec, Senba Sensing Tec, Shenyang Sumboy Intelligent Imaging Technology Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Everbest Machinery Industry Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Jove Communication. Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Longot Technology Development Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Tekwin System Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Tsinghua Video Electronic Technology Co. Ltd., Sierra Olympic, Sunell, Sunshine Technologies, Tamron, TE Connectivity, Teledyne Dalsa, Teledyne FLIR, Testo, Tetracam, Thales, Thermoteknix, Tianjin Jinhang Technical Physics Research Institute, Tianjin Zhongjing Semiconductor Materials Co. Ltd., TowerJazz, Umicore, Uni-Trend Technology (China) Co. Ltd., Veoneer, Vital, Vital Optics Technology Co. Ltd., Wahl, Wavelength Opto-Electronic (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Wintec, Workswell, Wuhan Huazhong Numerical Control Co. Ltd., Wuhan Yoseen Infrared Co. Ltd., Xi'an Zhongke Lead-ir Technology Co. Ltd., XINFOO, Xperi, Zeiss, Zhao Sheng (Zhejiang) Technologies Inc., Zhejiang Heika Electric Co. Ltd., Zhejiang HongpuTechnology Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Sun Creative Technology Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Ulirvision Technology Co. Ltd., and more
The market is slowing down in 2022
In 2021 the thermal imaging and sensing market returned to traditional applications as the demand to test body temperature for fever detection collapsed. As a result, the thermal detector market is expected to decrease from $460M in 2021 to $439M in 2022.
The thermal imaging market is similarly expected to shrink from $6.2B in 2021 to $5.9B in 2022. The demand for classical applications is still solid, but the global component shortage is resulting in delays for critical components necessary for making thermal cameras. If the situation returns to normal in 2023, the overall market is expected to grow from $6.6B in 2021 to $9.2B in 2027 with a CAGR21-27 of 6%.
Consolidation of the Leading Chinese Players
Chinese thermal imager manufacturers are consolidating their position in 2022. After ramping their shipments in 2020 for fever detection systems, they have managed to maintain their position in 2022 and ship nearly 40% of thermal imagers globally. Among them, Hikvision and InfiRay are the two leaders. Both companies have significantly improved the performance of their products and adapted their portfolio to be stronger in classical thermal applications, like surveillance for Hikvision and the consumer market for InfiRay.
The technology is moving toward smaller pixels
Thermal detectors are becoming more digital, with many functionalities added to the sensor. In addition, the pixel pitch of thermopile detectors is still decreasing and may compete directly with thermal imagers, especially for smart building applications.
In thermal imagers, there is still a general trend for pixel pitch reduction, with R&D targets of 10µm to 8µm, whereas most commercial products have a 17µm or 12µm pitch. Small pixel pitches could help reduce the size of chips, and so their price, while maintaining sufficient resolution. There is also a growing interest in thermal and visible data fusion for commercial applications, like automotive.
Glossary
Yole’s definitions of thermal Imaging & Sensing
Scope of the report
What we got right, what we got wrong
Segmentation
Methodology & definitions
About the authors
Company cited
How to use our data
Three page summary
Executive summary
Introduction
Market forecast
- Detectors
- Segmentation
- General overview by market
- Overview by applications
- Synthesis
- Imagers
- Segmentation
- Value by markets
- Comparison with Yole’s old forecast
- Value by type of camera
- Synthesis
Market trends
- Detectors
- Imagers
Supply chain
- Detectors
- Imagers
Technology trends
- Detectors
- Imagers
Conclusion
Yole Group corporate presentation