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https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityara...-by-china/

Largest U.S. Drone Manufacturer Says It Will Need To Ration Batteries For Customers After Sanctions By China

Skydio, the largest American drone manufacturer, announced Wednesday it is being forced to ration batteries for its customers due to supply constraints caused by the Chinese government’s sanctions—which the firm described as an effort to “eliminate” it and increase the world’s reliance on Chinese-made drones.

To deal with the supply chain issue, Bry said Skydio will have to take the “drastic step of rationing batteries to one per drone” and to compensate, the company will support and warranties for drones delivered “with less than a full complement of batteries.”

Bry said China sanctioned his company for selling drones to Taiwan.....

March 8th, a former U.S. Marine Smothers read a Forbes about a new experimental Russian FPV drone communicated with operator via a fiber optic cable rather than radio. It impossible to jam. Smothers hit to Ukraine via his Drone Reaper website immediately realized Ukrainian forces needed,” he fiber optic drones could be a game changer — but Russians had them. He took on the mission of ensuring Ukraine would field its own unjammable drones with more systems packed along front. FPVs launched by Ukraine were downed by jamming. So Ukrainian stopped trying to fly FPV attacks to protected positions, they ran into a wall of jamming.But a fiber optic FPV completely negate this type of protection.

Smothers set about building fiber optic drone. 3-mths prototype headed to Ukraine, a missionary on mission: from Shelf On To the Battlefield, knew Ukraine needed a low-cost solution. FPV drones typically cost $500. Ukrainians needed affordable solutions original design used about $360. FPV drone into an unjammable fiber-optic. Krab Tech helped design was battle ready.He set for Ukraine Aid Op, Tech United (who helped develop drone) & Defense Tech For Ukraine to govt’s Brave1 defense technology accelerator, military drone Special Detachment drone makers like Wild Hornets, Vyriy &  Dronarnia, right up to state-run Ukroboronprom, by sharing his designs providing basic hardware, Smothers encouraged everyone to try converting their own FPVs into fiber drones. Only thing he was selling was idea. He stresses that the whole project was very much a team effort. Fiber FPV into action for 1st time, drone performed as flawlessly as demo completely unaffected by jammers, FPV sent back a clear signal right up to the point of impact.

“There a great roar when it hit,” says Smothers. “And I had a feeling of accomplishment."