Unusual Machines was a relatively obscure maker of drones and components for American-made drones with only three employees in 2023, but it made headlines when it announced Nov. 27 that Donald Trump Jr. had joined the company’s advisory board.
“Don Jr. joining our board of advisers provides us unique expertise we need as we bring drone component manufacturing back to America,” said Allan Evans, Unusual Machines CEO. “He brings a wealth of experience, and I look forward to his advice and role within the company as we continue to build our business.”
“The need for drones is obvious. It is also obvious that we must stop buying Chinese drones and Chinese drone parts,” Trump Jr. said. “I love what Unusual Machines is doing to bring drone manufacturing jobs back to the USA and am excited to take on a bigger role in the movement.”
Evans had earlier told High Plains Journal that operators of drones made by leading Chinese drone-maker Da-Jiang Innovations should prepare for a future when they will no longer be able to use them. About 80% of the estimated 200,000 drones in use by United States farmers are made by DJI, which controls about 70% of the civilian global drone market. Beginning in 2016, DJI’s Mavic and Phantom drones brought sophisticated camera drones to the U.S. consumer market at more affordable prices. Users say DJI’s drones are more capable, have more features and are cheaper than U.S.-made competitors. DJI drones have driven hundreds of U.S. drone-makers out of business.
That is set to change. The Countering CCP Drones Act was introduced last March by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY). The bill passed the House on a voice vote. It was incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025, which was passed by the Senate Armed Services committee by a 22-3 vote. The final version of that bill has not yet been passed by the full Senate, but the anti-Chinese drone measure seems set to become law by one means or another soon, due to strong bipartisan support.
The U.S. already banned federal agencies from buying or using Chinese-made drones in 2022. The Department of Defense is seeking to decouple supply chains of sensitive U.S. defense equipment from Chinese sources. It uses lists of pre-approved vendors who are pre-cleared for security concerns to bid on projects. The list for drone makers is called UAS Blue, and Unusual Machines was one of the early drone parts makers to qualify.
DJI has tried to push back against U.S. measures. It has sued the Defense Department over its designation as a “military” manufacturer and claimed it has no connection to the Chinese government. But U.S. security experts are wary of Chinese laws that state that all companies must turn over data to the Chinese Communist Party on demand. It is also quietly pursuing partnerships to license its technology with U.S. companies.
Unusual Machines manufactures and sells drone components and drones across a diversified brand portfolio, which includes Fat Shark, the leader in FPV (first-person view) ultra-low latency video goggles for drone pilots. The company also retails small, acrobatic FPV drones and equipment directly to consumers through the curated Rotor Riot e-commerce store.
On its website, the company says, “With a changing regulatory environment, Unusual Machines seeks to be a dominant Tier-1 parts supplier to the fast-growing multi-billion-dollar U.S. drone industry. According to Fact.MR, the global drone accessories market is currently valued at $17.5 billion and is set to top $115 billion by 2032.”
David Murray can be reached at [email protected].
