The Looming Threat: Chinese Civilian Drones in Latin America
01.21.2026 at 08:57pm
Read The Looming Threat: Chinese Civilian Drones in Latin America for an in-depth analysis of Chinese drones in America’s backyard.
“China is relentlessly flooding Latin America with its commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — commonly known as drones. In Brazil, the region’s largest market, the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has registered more than 133,000 such aircraft as of late November 2025. Of this total, the vast majority, over 113,000, are manufactured by Shenzhen Da Jiang Innovations Science and Technology (DJI), followed by Xiaomi Corporation.
“Their abundance in the market, low cost, ease of use, and potential for weaponization make these drones dangerous,” Robert J. Bunker, director of Research and Analysis at C/O Future and a researcher at Arizona State University’s Future Security Initiative, told Diálogo.”
