US drone maker Skydio confronts battery shortage following Chinese sanctions

Shafaq News/ US drone manufacturer Skydio has alerted its customers of a looming battery shortage due to recent Chinese sanctions.

In a statement to clients, Skydio CEO Adam Bry described the sanctions as “an attempt to eliminate the leading American drone company and deepen the world’s dependence on Chinese drone suppliers.”

Despite manufacturing its drones domestically, Skydio relies on China for some components, including batteries. The sanctions, enacted on October 10, bar Chinese companies from supplying Skydio, restricting customers to one battery per drone.

Skydio, which supplies drones to Ukraine’s military and Taiwan’s National Fire Agency, is now facing delays in finding alternative suppliers until spring 2024. To mitigate disruptions, the company is extending its software licenses, warranties, and support terms by the length of the delay.

“This is a clarifying moment for the drone industry,” Bry said, adding that the Chinese government’s actions underscore “how supply chains can be weaponized to advance their interests over ours.”