China’s exports of drones to emerging economies have surged this year, reflecting increased demand for farming, surveying and other civilian applications.

Chinese drone exports during the first half of the year rose 26% to 2.42 million units, according to China’s General Administration of Customs. During the same period, exports to the US dropped more than 40%.

Export curbs imposed on the US on August 5 by Beijing are expected to accelerate the decline. But shipments to emerging markets are more than making up for the shortfall.

“Demand from overseas is enormous,” said a representative from a Suzhou-based manufacturer at a trade show in Shanghai last month. The company exports surveying drones to Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

China is pushing a “low-altitude economy,” a term referring to economic activities involving manned and unmanned aircraft in low-altitude airspace. Led by leading drone maker DJI, companies are building up production facilities for finished products and key components inside China’s borders.

The plan is to expand influence by exporting primarily to countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s cross-border infrastructure and economic development strategy.

In March, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce announced a multifront plan for drone exports. Companies will exports finished drones to Southeast Asia, where logistics networks will be set up. Drones for inspecting pipelines will be exported to the Middle East and African countries will receive drones for agriculture and cargo transport.

Demand for drones continues to expand for infrastructure inspection, logistics, agriculture and other applications. An executive at a manufacturer in Jiangsu that exports to Southeast Asia and other regions said the company will increase the ratio of overseas sales “from 10–15% to 50% within three years.”

Exports to the Philippines increased by 68% in the first half, according to the customs administration. Exports to Germany and Malaysia more than doubled, while those to Pakistan surged 13-fold. Cambodian exports soared 163-fold.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior has signed an agreement with China’s Nanning Vocational and Technical University to collaborate on drones and other advanced technologies. The university will provide guidance on using drones for maintaining public order and disaster response.

The Philippines has been offering subsidies to support drone use in rice cultivation since 2024. Many of the drones used are made in China.

According to DJI, more than 700,000 of the company’s agricultural drones were in use worldwide as of the end of June. This represents a doubling in the past three years. The drones have become an indispensable agricultural machine, according to DJI.

In December, the US restricted the sale of new drones manufactured overseas, citing national security concerns. Exports of Chinese-made drones to the US fell 46% on the year in the six months that followed.

But demand for Chinese-made drones remains strong, particularly in emerging markets. Chinese drones are said to offer superior usability despite being a fraction of the cost of US-made drones.

This article first appeared on Nikkei Asia. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei.