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China's UAV Industry

BIAA	Beijing Institute of Aero & Astro
BUAA	Beijing University of Aero & Astro
CAC	Chengdu Aircraft Corporation
CAIC
CASC	China Aerospace Science Corp.
CASIC	China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp.
CETC	China Electronic Technology Corp.
CSIC	China Shipbuilding Corp.
GAIC	Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corp.
HAIG	Harbin Aviation Industrial Group
IET	Institute of Engineering Thermophysics
LGAA	Liaoning General Aviation Institute
	Lontek
NAI	Nanjing Aviation Institute
SAC	Shenyang Aircraft Corp.
SOA UAV	State Oceanic Administration
	Sunward Tech
	Tengden
Weifang	Weifang Tianxiang Aerospace Industry
Xian (NPU)	Xian Aisheng Technology Group
	XY Aviation
ZHZ	Zhonghangzhi Science & Tech Co.
	ZT Guide Control

AVIC aerospace and various manufacturers displayed basically all domestic unmanned helicopters, unmanned surveillance aircraft, military procurement and foreign trade, basically domestic military drones are here. The location is the Maran base, which is not open to the outside world. This is an exhibition, and it ’s also arranged in order of size. The drone fleet of the People's Army has rarely presented a "family portrait". These complex UAV fleets are a testament to the advancement of China's aviation industry. It is worth mentioning that in the family portrait, the new drone WJ-11 was also unveiled.

China's research and development centers, especially Xian's Northwest Polytechnic University (NPU), and the Beijing and Nanjing Universities of Aeronautics and Astronautics, have active UAV developmental programs, intended to support the PLA's tactical C4I structure. Among the many Chinese universities and research institutions involved in UAV research are the Beijing Technology Company, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), Hebei Electric Power Reconnaissance Design Academy, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shaanxi Engine Design Institute, and Xian ASN Technology Group Company.

China has an active program to purchase or develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for its armed forces. Several Western suppliers are actively interested in pursuing the market for UAVs in China. Indigenous Chinese UAVs also will be developed and could be improved with foreign assistance. Illicit sales of UAVs remain an issue. Japan and Israel, in particular, have been involved in a number of cases of selling UAV technology in violation of export restrictions to China. For example, Israel's IAI Malat sold Harpy UAVs to China in 1994 and, in May 2006, was accused of selling Sparrow UAVs also to China.

In August 2006, Japan's Yamaha Motor Company was accused of selling the RMAX helicopter UAV to Beijing Technology Company, China, which has ties to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), in violation of Japan's Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law. Although Yamaha has claimed that the UAV cannot be used for military purposes because it is inoperable beyond radio range, the RMAX features allow it to easily be converted for long, autonomous missions. The Japanese military, for example, used the RMAX in Iraq for surveillance. Another report said that Yamaha exported 11 UAV helicopters to Beijing's Poly Technologies and to Beijing Technology Company, both of which also have ties to the PLA.

Among the representative models produced in the past few years are some dual- use versions, such as the W-50 UAV, which can be employed for missions such as reconnaissance, radio-relay, and electronic jamming. Another UAV starting to enter the inventory is the ASN-206. Its primary military applications reportedly are day and night reconnaissance, battlefield surveillance, target location, artillery fire correction, and battle damage assessment.

ASN Technology Group is a specialized UAV R&D company in China. ASN Technology Group now is the biggest UAV production company and R&D base in China. The First UAV of China was designed and manufactured by ASN in 1958. In the following fifty years, over 40 different types of UAV were manufactured and in total over 1,500 UAV were delivered in ASN. The end users of ASN UAV products mainly are the Chinese troops. Now over 90% of the Chinese UAV market is held by ASN, which had nearly 500 employees, of whom 15% are Professors, 22% are senior engineers and 18% are engineers. ASN was awarded ISO9001 authentication in 2000. Advanced design,experienced manufacture and state of the art infrastructure, enable ASN to possess great achievement and potentiality in UAV R&D. In the fields of target drone, reconnaissance and surveillance, target acquisition and electronic warfare, the UAV products of ASN are world level and sophisticated.

China's rapidly expanding defense budget supported impressive advances in drone technology, prompting some to worry that the United States' global dominance in the market could soon be challenged. At the 2012 airshow in the southern coastal city of Zhuhai, China unveiled a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Long-time observers of Chinese military capability reported the drones on display were bigger and more sophisticated than in the past.

Though many of the prototypes and models on display at the Zhuhai air show did not have explicit military purposes, others appeared to be clones of US drones, such as the Predator or Reaper, which have both been used in deadly missions on suspected militants. There is no evidence suggesting China plans to use its drones in a similar manner as the United States, and observers say Beijing is still likely far behind Washington in drone technology.

But a report published in July by the Defense Science Board, a committee that advises the US Defense Department, suggested that Beijing's ramped up spending and research on drones could threaten US supremacy in the sector. The unclassified report, The Role of Autonomy in DoD Systems, called China's recent focus on UAVs "alarming," warning Beijing could "easily match or outpace U.S. spending on unmanned systems, rapidly close the technology gaps and become a formidable global competitor in unmanned systems."

"In a worrisome trend, China has ramped up research in recent years faster than any other country. It displayed its first unmanned system model at the Zhuhai air show five years ago, and now every major manufacturer for the Chinese military has a research center devoted to unmanned systems. The latest pictures and models of unmanned systems from China show a reconnaissance truck with a joined wing and tail that could considerably increase range and payload and produce better handling at high altitudes.... Much of China’s efforts remain secret, but the large number of unmanned systems displayed at recent exhibitions, and very recent revelations on development and operational efforts underscore not only China’s determination to catch up in this sector, but also its desire to sell this technology abroad. ... China has had an active UAV program since the mid-1990s. However, data on the actual extent of UAV production is nearly non-existent, and there is little available information on China’s overall procurement objectives."

In China, state media said those reportedly peaceful missions include patrolling maritime regions. In September 2012, the Xinhua news agency reported that China's State Oceanic Administration would step up the use of drones to "strengthen marine surveillance" in disputed areas of the South China Sea. A Chinese government report earlier in 2012 called for 11 drone bases to be established along China's coastline by 2015.

But other missions were seemingly more mundane. The Chinese state-run Global Times reported in June 2012 that Beijing police is using a drone to spot illegal opium poppies in rural areas of the capital. Last year, the paper said the department would also use unmanned aircraft to "monitor traffic accidents, conduct aerial surveillance, or help with rescue operations."

So far there are no known instances of China carrying out deadly attacks with weaponized UAVs. But Li Yidong, a designer for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, told the Global Times that one of the UAVs on display at the Zhuhai air show appears to have carried out 20 missions and fired 15 missiles, judging from the number of red stars and missile patterns on the drone. At the Zhuhai air show, Huang Wei, the director of a drone program at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation told the Global Times that UAVs were, "as the Americans say," fit for missions that are "dirty, dangerous and dull."

One area of concern for the United States is that China may increasingly export its relatively inexpensive drone technology to nations around the world. That fear was heightened when the Global Times said in November 2012 that "some foreign sales" were reported at the Zhuhai air show. Chinese drones, many of which are specifically produced for the export market, may be attractive to countries that cannot afford or are otherwise prevented from purchasing the US alternatives. American drones are expensive, very sophisticated platforms. The Chinese produce a cheaper variety that basically does a similar job. The Chinese have cheap labor, technological know-how, and are always looking for export markets that are growing.

But price is only one factor that nations consider when purchasing foreign military equipment. Beijing is not likely become the "Wal-Mart" of international drone sales anytime soon. The reliability, the maintenance of these things is still unproven, and there's a lot of political baggage that comes with buying Chinese products. Chinese exports of drones may be limited by international arms sales regulations that govern exports of weapons and "dual-use" goods that have both civilian and military purposes.

In the mainstream plant protection drone market, DJI and Jifei Technology have occupied most of the market, Hanhe and Quanfeng are in the second camp, and other companies share the remaining market. In 2017, the entire flying defense market was in the stage of race and enclosure, and in 2018 it officially entered the stage of price reduction competition. Market competition has become increasingly fierce, and companies have cut prices to grab market share. At the same time, there are also reasons why users are not strong in consumption. It is reported that at present, most plant protection drone users are born in the 60s and 70s. They are practitioners of traditional agriculture, who are more price sensitive and have stricter cost control.