Despite Trump-era tariffs and Pentagon bans, nearly every drone used by American companies still contains critical Chinese components. From engines to airframes and batteries, U.S. drone tech — including military-grade hardware — remains heavily reliant on China. Silicon Valley startups, defense contractors, and even top officials like VP J.D. Vance have been exposed using Chinese tech. With China controlling nearly 90% of global drone hardware, experts warn that any cutoff couldcripple the U.S. drone industry for up to a year.
