DJI, a prominent player in the drone industry, and has recently introduced its latest product, the FlyCart 30 cargo transporter to the global market and claims that it marks the beginning of a new era in dynamic aerial delivery. However, its significant influence might extend beyond civilian applications, potentially serving as a formidable heavy drone for military purposes, such as bombing, gunship operations, minelaying, and logistical support—despite DJI's attempts to discourage the military utilisation of their products.
DJI, headquartered in Shenzhen, China and holds a dominant position in the global consumer drone market since it claims over 70% of the market share. Their Mavic series, which is globally celebrated for its compact foldable design, is especially renowned for capturing steady aerial videos and expansive shots, easily fitting into cargo pockets. Beyond recreational use, Mavic drones have become essential tools in the Ukrainian conflict, serving as an effective tool in battlefield scouts utilized by both sides for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering to identify concealed targets from far away distances.
Small drones are versatile enough to greatly improve artillery efficiency ,with their precision targeting improving artillery performance by five to ten times. Drones now play a crucial and major role in guiding artillery ranging from 155mm howitzers to 30mm automatic grenade launchers, enabling tanks to achieve indirect-fire kills from previously inaccessible distances.
Furthermore, small drones have been repurposed as bombers, equipped with 3D printed bombing rigs to carry one or two grenades, typically Russian VOG-17 or American M433 "Golden eggs." These modified quadcopters target foxholes, trenches, or exploit hatches to eliminate abandoned vehicles.
Despite DJI's unequivocal disapproval of the military use of their drones and the company's sales ban in Ukraine and Russia since April 2022, the demand for their products persists. The term 'Mavik' has become a generic descriptor for any small drone in Ukraine, similar to how 'Hoover' and 'Fridge' are used for specific types of products. In October 2023, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal claimed that his country had procured 60% of the Mavic drones produced, a statement promptly refuted by DJI. While this figure appears improbable given DJI's extensive production scale, it underscores the significant role these drones play in the Ukrainian context, with their impact measured in the hundreds of thousands rather than millions.