The economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, where Chinese-made flying devices are a dominant player in America.
Read full article: Humidity gradually returns, spring-like temps arrive by Christmas Eve5 hours agoGet ready for Insider Deals that offer great savings on gift ideas, home essentials and hair care products. Russell Hedrick prepares a DJI drone to put crop cover on his farm, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Hickory, N.C.
Russell Hedrick prepares a DJI drone to put crop cover on his farm, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Hickory, N.C. Russell Hedrick shows footage of when he used his drone to drop supplies to people during Hurricane Helene recovery, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Hickory, N.C. Russell Hedrick's DJI drone puts crop cover on his farm, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Hickory, N.C. Russell Hedrick prepares a DJI drone to put crop cover on his farm, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Hickory, N.C. – Russell Hedrick, a North Carolina farmer, flies drones to spray fertilizers on his corn, soybean and wheat fields at a fraction of what it would cost him to use a conventional ground spreader.
A broader ban is worrisome for Americans for whom drones have become a part of their lives and work. It could disrupt wide-ranging operations, from law enforcement to mapping and filmmaking that drone operators say are viable because of the low cost and high performance of the Chinese drones. American-made drones just aren’t comparable, they say.In Hickory, North Carolina, Hedrick began flying Chinese-made drones in 2019 to fertilize crops and monitor crop health.
Michael Robbins, president and chief executive officer of AUVSI, an advocacy group for unmanned vehicles such as drones, opposes an immediate ban. Instead, his group has urged the government to support the U.S. drone-making industry through investment so it can catch up with its Chinese competitors in both capability and cost.
Citing security interests, China has restricted exports to the U.S. of drone parts, including motors, flight controllers and imaging equipment. DJI's drones have been used by first responders to locate disaster victims, mappers to survey roads and utility lines, mosquito control officers to reach swarms of larvae, and filmmakers to capture aerial footage. Police use them to help prevent crime and find missing people.
DJI has denied wrongdoing and is suing the Pentagon over the designation that it is a Chinese military company. U.S. customs officials also have blocked some DJI shipments over concerns that the products might have been made with forced labor. DJI has called it “a customs-related misunderstanding.” In Wimberley, Texas, Gene Robinson has used high-resolution drone images to analyze differences in vegetation to discover buried bodies. He said he helped police find a victim's buried arm, making prosecution possible. Robinson doesn’t think there’s a viable alternative to the DJI drone he uses.
Michael Robbins U.S. News Technology Adam Bry Gene Robinson Russell Hedrick Elise Stefanik Christopher Todd World News Chris Lowe John Goodson Washington News Business Donald Trump Joe Biden
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