【By Observer Net, Zhang Jingjuan】Despite the U.S. government's disregard for facts and its so-called "security concerns" about Chinese drones, the reliance of American farmers on Chinese-made drones and related systems has been increasing due to actual demand.

Hong Kong English media South China Morning Post reported on the 17th that David Bruntz, vice chairman of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), recently tried to purchase a drone for monitoring cattle on his ranch in Nebraska, but after searching, he found that only the Chinese tech giant DJI could provide a "cost-effective" solution.

According to the report, this Shenzhen-based company has long dominated the U.S. drone market. Now, DJI has launched a series of specialized solutions for agricultural scenarios such as sowing, pesticide spraying, and tracking livestock, which have been widely applied in the agricultural sector. Bruntz remarked, "The speed of adoption is quite fast."

Like many farmers in Nebraska, Bruntz is concerned about potential supply chain disruptions, but at present, he feels he has no other choice. Compared with similar products made in the United States, Chinese products are not only more affordable but also outperform in terms of performance, offering excellent value for money.

"They do have advantages in many technical areas; the solution is for the U.S. to develop such products itself," Bruntz said frankly.

He also mentioned that switching to U.S.-made drones and other agricultural technology equipment is "neither easy nor cost-effective" for local farmers.

In fact, the presence of Chinese technology in the U.S. agricultural sector goes far beyond drones. Cattle farmers in Nebraska revealed that they use smart ear tags and control systems that "widely" incorporate Chinese technology and components.

Data from the drone market research firm Drone Industry Insights shows that 70% to 80% of commercial drones worldwide are manufactured in China and dominate the production of key components such as sensors and speed controllers.

A report released by the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in December last year clearly stated that DJI is the world's largest commercial drone manufacturer, capturing 90% of the U.S. commercial drone market. The company is now actively expanding into agriculture and other industrial applications, seeing them as new revenue growth points.

Take DJI's Agras T100, launched last year, as an example. This drone, designed for large-scale commercial growers, is equipped with a 100-liter liquid spraying system and a 150-liter seeding system, supports a 100-kilogram payload, and features multiple radar and visual perception systems. It can not only perform night operations but also provides strong support for precision agriculture applications.

American farmers using DJI drones for sowing, AFP

The Chinese drone industry continues to develop rapidly, bringing great convenience to human production and life. However, the U.S. has unjustifiably suspected the information security risks of Chinese tech companies' drone systems without factual basis.

As early as 2017, the U.S. Department of Defense banned the use of DJI drones by the military on the grounds of "data security risks," initiating a one-year sanction against it; In 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it would add several Chinese companies, including DJI, to the export control "entity list" on the grounds of "violating U.S. national security"; In March last year, the U.S. "China Commission" called on the U.S. government to impose higher tariffs on Chinese drones, including those transited through other countries into the U.S., and take new incentive measures to promote the development of U.S. drone manufacturers; The U.S. Congress passed an annual military bill in December last year, which included a clause: if an investigation finds that products from Chinese drone manufacturers like DJI pose "unacceptable national security risks," they will be prohibited from being sold in the U.S.

Last month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Lohse announced a nationwide ban on foreign buyers, including those from China, purchasing U.S. farmland, and hinted at possibly reclaiming land already held by Chinese investors. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated a special review of drone systems and their components. The report pointed out that due to China's dominant position in the industry, this move may lay the groundwork for imposing tariffs and taking other protectionist measures.

Regarding these baseless accusations by the U.S., the spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce once sternly pointed out that the U.S. is broadly generalizing the concept of national security and abusing state power to suppress other countries' industries, which will interfere with the stability and smooth flow of the global supply chain and damage the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, including those in the U.S.

The South China Morning Post cited the words of Andrew Collier, a senior researcher at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, stating that the U.S. is unlikely to restrict the use of Chinese agricultural drones at present.

Collier believes that the U.S. government does not want to anger farmers, as many farmers live in red states, and they are unwilling to switch to products from other countries that are more expensive.

Jayant Menon, a senior researcher at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, said that if Chinese drones continue to develop and integrate more artificial intelligence functions, Washington's attitude might change. "They want to maintain their leadership in the field of artificial intelligence."

However, it is not easy for the U.S. to decouple from the Chinese drone industry.

Chinese customs data shows that in 2024, China exported 3.72 million drones, with a total value of $2.1 billion. Market research company "Drone Industry Insights" stated that Chinese companies also dominate the supply of many drone components, with some foreign manufacturers heavily relying on Chinese suppliers for parts.

Previously, buyers had told the British Financial Times that European manufacturers' technology lags behind China's, and they tried to produce European drones but could not reach the same level of technology as China.

This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Net, and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7539751150317240884/

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