On June 6, President Trump signed two executive orders aimed at reviving the American drone industry: one encouraging government agencies to promote U.S. drone exports, and another restricting the procurement of drone equipment related to the Chinese government. However, these measures appear late in the face of China's decade-long dominance in the global drone market, making it difficult to challenge China's overwhelming advantage in dual-use drones for both military and civilian applications. "Defense One" pointed out that China's success in drones is not only due to technological breakthroughs but also its military-civil fusion (MCF) strategy, which tightly integrates the government, state-owned enterprises, universities, and private companies, forming an unparalleled industrial synergy.
China's drone industry leads in both military and civilian fields. From 2018 to mid-2024, China accounted for more than a quarter of global military drone sales, exporting to countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan, and Iraq. The Yilong and Rainbow series of drones have become mainstays for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and international buyers. The PLA frequently used drones during exercises around Taiwan in August 2022, April 2023, May 2024, October 2024, and April 2025, covering various missions such as intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), strike, electronic warfare, and communication support, demonstrating their core role in future conflicts.
China's success in the drone industry is inseparable from the "three major forces" of drones: state-owned enterprises, the National Defense University, and private companies. Aviation Industry Corporation of China produces the Yilong series, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation launched the Rainbow series, and China North Industries Group entered the drone field through acquisitions. These state-owned enterprises collaborate with the "Seven Military Schools," relying on substantial funding and technology sharing to develop advanced drones such as BZK-005 and TB-001. Private companies like Sichuan Tengdun Technology also play an important role, with the TB-001 attack drone even appearing near Japanese airspace, highlighting its role in the Eastern Theater Command of the PLA.
The rise of China's drone industry is attributed to its military-civil fusion strategy. Drones, as a typical dual-use technology, have become a successful example of military-civil fusion due to their low cost, scalability, and high customizability. At the 20th Party Congress in 2022, Chinese leaders explicitly called for accelerating the development of "unmanned intelligent combat forces." The PLA's strategic documents also regard drones as an indispensable component of modern warfare. The evolution from "multi-control-one" to "one-control-multi" autonomous combat capabilities shows rapid breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies such as drone swarms and loyal wingman. Lessons from the Ukraine war have further accelerated China's research and mass production of low-cost, disposable drones, leveraging its vast industrial capacity for large-scale manufacturing.
In contrast, the U.S. drone industry has been far surpassed by Chinese companies like DJI in the civilian sector and has developed slowly in the military sector due to high costs and policy restrictions. President Trump's executive orders attempt to reverse the situation by promoting exports and restricting the procurement of Chinese drones, but "Defense One" noted that this is merely "the first step in a long race." The U.S. drone industry lacks the centralized strategy and industrial integration that China has, and it is difficult to match China in the production of low-cost drones.
The widespread deployment of Chinese drones, especially the frequent exercises in the Taiwan Strait, indicates their key role in future military conflicts. The PLA's drones may be deployed in unprecedented numbers through "mothership warfare" or drone swarm tactics. China's massive manufacturing capability ensures its advantage in prolonged warfare. In contrast, U.S. drone exports are restricted by strict technology transfer limitations and political conditions, making it difficult to meet the needs of allies such as Saudi Arabia, further providing market space for China.
President Trump's executive orders reflect America's anxiety over its lagging drone industry, but challenging China's leading position and global hegemony will be a long, arduous, and possibly unattainable journey.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7521552951324787219/
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