On December 23, the Associated Press broadcast a report entitled “Americans began to rely on Chinese made UAVs“. The report is compiled as follows:
North Carolina farmer Russell Hedrick operates drones to spray fertilizer on his corn, soybean, and wheat fields at a cost that is only a small fraction of using traditional ground fertilizing machines.
As a volunteer rescue worker, Hedrick will use thermal imaging drones to search for people trapped by mudslides, and will also use cargo drones to deliver drinking water to those trapped.
Now, he is worried and worried that one day he will have to grounded his drone. Most commercial drones sold in the United States, including those used by Hedrick, are made in China. Chinese made drones have become a target for US Congress members. These lawmakers believe that Chinese drones pose a commercial threat as they make it almost impossible for American manufacturers to compete.
With Republican Trump returning to the White House in January next year, this will be another area where the economic and technological competition between the United States and China may intensify. Trump has promised to take a tough stance against China.
As the United States competes with China in semiconductor, artificial intelligence, and other fields, Washington has imposed restrictions on Chinese telecommunications companies and imposed high tariffs on Chinese made electric vehicles.
A defense bill passed by the US Congress on December 18th includes a provision that prohibits two Chinese companies from selling new drones in the United States if the review finds that their drones pose an “unacceptable risk” to US national security. Congress has banned federal agencies from procuring Chinese drones (with some exceptions), and some states have also banned the use or procurement of Chinese drones for projects funded by public funds.
The implementation of a broader ban worries Americans who cannot live and work without drones. The drone operator stated that due to the low cost and high performance of Chinese drones, they enable smooth operations in various fields such as law enforcement, surveying, and film and television production. Once the ban is implemented, these businesses may be affected.
The drone operator said that American made drones are simply incomparable to Chinese made drones.
Hedrick has been using Chinese made drones to fertilize crops and monitor their health since 2019. He said that a drone used for fertilization costs $35000, while a traditional ground fertilization machine costs $250000.
Hedrick said, “With the high efficiency of drones, we can do things that we couldn’t do before: use fertilizers but reduce usage, which is good for American consumers
Michael Robbins, President and CEO of the International Unmanned Aerial Systems Association, opposes the immediate implementation of a ban.
John Goodson, CEO of a US drone manufacturer, stated that the ban will not prevent Chinese drone manufacturers from selling their products in other parts of the world, but may harm US drone companies that rely on Chinese components.
Drone enthusiast Finn Greenwood has written extensively about drones, stating that it is currently unrealistic to ban Chinese drones in the absence of similar products. He said, “If we ban Chinese drones, many of the amazing things we have done will be impossible to continue
The most famous drone manufacturer in China is DJI, headquartered in Shenzhen.
DJI’s products are renowned for their affordable prices and high performance. DJI’s drones have been used by emergency responders in the United States to locate disaster victims, by cartographers to survey roads, and by filmmakers to capture aerial footage. The police also use them to help prevent crime and search for missing persons.
