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Australian Government looks inwards to drop Chinese-made DJI drones

25th August 2025 - 13:20 GMT | by Gregor Ferguson in Sydney, Australia

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Grabba Technologies, manufacturer of the Mozzie UAS, has delivered more than 100 UAS to the Australian DoD. (Photo: Grabba Technologies)

Over the next decade the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) says it will invest some A$600 million of approved funding into the development and introduction of a range of airborne, surface and subsurface uncrewed systems.

Three Australian companies - AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies - have delivered 100 lightweight Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UASs) each to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), according to Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy MP.

Shephard understands that at least some of them will replace Chinese-made DJI drones currently operated by various Australian government agencies.

Conroy told the Queensland Media Club in Brisbane on 19 August that the Australian Defence Force is accelerating acquisition of uncrewed systems generally.

“In Ukraine we’ve observed that it when it comes to drones, the cycle of adaptation and counter adaptation is around three

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