People need to start distinguishing between the little quadcopters you can buy at walmart, and fucking reaper drones. Headlines like "China is selling drones to Russia" makes it seem like it isn't a $150 drone bought off fucking aliexpress

[–] GaveUp@hexbear.net 40 points 1 year ago (2 children)

That lack of distinction is 100% on purpose since China dominates the consumer drones market and they're so versatile and capable that countries all over the world including the US buy DJI drones for military operations

Can blame China for giving every country "drones"

[–] Redcat@hexbear.net 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

china dominates the consumer goods market, period. by these standards the chinese have been supplying every NATO war for the past 20 years.

[–] s0ykaf@hexbear.net 13 points 1 year ago

the chinese have been supplying every NATO war for the past 20 years.

smh revisionism has really gone too far

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

Gotta get that drones, man...

[–] SeaJ@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

They do. They have Bayraktar drones.

I do agree that the lack of distinction is kind of stupid.

[–] ElHexo@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They all got shot down

https://www.businessinsider.com/turkeys-bayraktar-tb2-drones-ineffective-ukraine-war-2023-5

[–] SeaJ@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

However, a year later, nearly all of them are believed to have been shot down by Russian forces.

The remaining killer drones are now reduced to reconnaissance duties, an expert said.

This would mean they still have some.

[–] Chapo_is_Red@hexbear.net 18 points 1 year ago

Pretty sure they have Baryraktar drones, purchased from Turkey, among other military drones.

[–] SeaJ@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

I don't think you can buy Bayraktar drones from your local general store...