China Sanctions Skydio, Halts Batteries to US Drone Maker Supplying Ukraine

Oct 31, 2024, 08:20 AM

China has imposed sanctions on Skydio, the largest US drone manufacturer and a supplier of intelligence-gathering drones to Ukraine's military, leading to a supply chain crisis for the California-based company. The sanctions, announced on October 11, include banning Chinese organizations from providing Skydio with critical components such as batteries. In retaliation for the US approval of the sale of attack drones to Taiwan, Skydio is now limiting customers to one battery per drone due to the supply constraints. The issue has been escalated to the Deputy Secretary of State and the White House. Skydio's CEO, Adam Bry, stated that they will develop battery supply outside of China and share their work with Western peers to reduce dependency on Chinese supply chains.