[jonah]

That was true at the beginning of the recent conflict, but now there is an extensive domestic drone design and production.

Yes, a lot - but not all - are fly by wire. (And actually literally wire, or rather fiber optic cable to avoid RF jamming.)

[fennecfoxy]

Oh yes for sure - but most of the domestic production is still "plugging drone bits from China together".

I think they're definitely working on more autonomy etc but I think it kind of proves that even the current ones are actually pretty effective. A well designed drone with AI/autonomous capabilities is terrifying. People could point to switch-blade but the cost per unit for the functionality you get is just absolutely insane.

[TiredOfLife]

> "plugging drone bits from China together".

China has more or less stopped selling those bits to Ukraine

[robocat]

Reference?

And is China restricting sales of drone motors to the US? As part of the rare earth trade embargoes?

[red-iron-pine]

I think you mean "EU" since plenty of drone parts can be made there, and are, and are shipped to the Ukrainians directly