Around 60% of drone components come from the US or China.
75% confidence
DefenceEuropean Union
Omissions
The 60% figure represents a combined total from both the US and China, not individually broken down between the two countries.
The figure refers specifically to imported components rather than all components in the EU market, which may include domestically produced parts.
Critical subcomponents show much higher dependency rates on China specifically (70-90%), particularly for propulsion systems, critical raw materials, and neodymium magnets used in motors.
The RUSI report from November 2025 highlights that Chinese dominance extends beyond simple component sourcing to include flight controllers, motors, and sensors.
The MEP's statement about critical raw materials being 'even more exposed' is consistent with findings that rare earth elements and permanent magnets show 80-90%+ dependency on Chinese supply chains.
Sources
SecondarySpace Careers / Eurostat citationAccording to Eurostat, EU imports of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components, especially from China and the US, still account for over 60% of the total drone components
SecondaryRoyal United Services Institute (RUSI)Ubiquitous Chinese-origin drone systems or components include flight controllers, motors and sensors; Chinese dominance in drone component supply chains