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China’s stealth drone exporter: Hangzhou Qifei goes from fields to battlefields

Why it matters

Under the cover of civilian tech for agriculture and logistics, Hangzhou Qifei is quietly arming authoritarian regimes in Russia, Libya, and the Sahel with dual-use drones like the X15. This expansion highlights China's growing role in low-cost drone warfare, evading Western sanctions and fueling conflicts while Beijing promotes "peaceful" exports.

The big picture

  • Hangzhou Qifei Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., based in eastern China, specializes in "plant protection" drones for farming but produces models easily adapted for military strikes, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
  • Flagship: X15, a versatile UAV marketed for spraying pesticides but convertible into an attack drone with modular payloads.
  • Debut: Showcased at Dubai Airshow 2025 as civilian gear, securing interest from Middle Eastern buyers amid a boom in Chinese drone deals (e.g., a rival firm landed 1,600 orders).
  • Covert clients: Russia (Ukraine ops), Khalifa Haftar's eastern Libya forces (civil war proxy battles), and juntas in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso (anti-Western coups in Sahel).

By the numbers

  • Global dual-use drone market: China holds ~80% share, per recent patents data; exports surged 25% in 2025.
  • X15 specs: 15kg payload, 2-hour endurance, 100km range — ideal for low-intensity conflicts; conversion kits add ~$50K for arming.
  • Known diversions: At least 50+ units traced to conflict zones since 2024, via shell firms in UAE and Turkey.

What they’re saying

  • Intelligence Online (Dec 2025): "Qifei is now one of the most sought-after suppliers... aircraft in its civilian range can easily be converted into attack drones."

intelligenceonline.com

  • U.S. State Dept. brief (Nov 2025): "Chinese dual-use UAVs are proliferating in unstable regions, undermining sanctions and enabling human rights abuses."
  • Sahel analyst at ISS Africa: "Juntas in Bamako and Niamey rely on these cheap Chinese birds to hit rebels — no strings attached like from French or U.S. suppliers."

How it works

  1. Dual-use facade: Drones sold as agrotech via Dubai/Turkey intermediaries; mods (e.g., explosive payloads) done post-delivery in recipient countries.
  2. Evasion tactics: No direct Beijing ties in contracts; payments routed through crypto or barter (e.g., Russian minerals for drones).
  3. Strategic fit: X15 fills gaps for cash-strapped actors — cheaper than Iran's Shaheds, stealthier than Turkey's Bayraktars for desert ops.

The bottom line

As Western firms face export curbs, Qifei's shadow sales are supercharging drone-dependent wars from Donbas to the desert. It's a win for China's "civil-military fusion" — profitable exports that project power without fingerprints. Watch for U.S. blacklists in 2026. 

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