Chinese drones dominate the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chinese drones are increasingly present in the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data shows that last year alone, a record 4.2 tons of drones, worth around 1.5 million euros, were imported into the country.

Of this, almost four tons come from China, according to data from the BiH Indirect Tax Authority.

The majority of imports are drones equipped with cameras for recording video and photos, and more than three tons of these devices are used for commercial and recreational purposes.

The import of commercial drones into Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently not specifically regulated.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, in cooperation with the Directorate of Civil Aviation, has proposed that drones weighing from 249 grams to 25 kilograms be included in the List of Special Purpose Goods, which means stricter control during import.

The ministry told Radio Free Europe that the proposal is in the consultation phase with relevant institutions, while the existing list was last updated in 2017.

Are there any risks from Chinese technology?

Antonio Prlenda, a military analyst from Sarajevo, told Radio Free Europe that civilian drones are "a challenge for the police and security services."

He warns that technology is developing rapidly, but that BiH lawmakers are lagging behind.

"Even these civilian drones can disrupt security, they can be a tool for a terrorist attack, they are much more accessible to ordinary people than they were before, and these regulations need to be tightened," he believes.

As for Chinese drones, he believes they are expected to conquer the market because they are relatively cheap and at a high technological level.

Prlenda warns that the European Union is increasingly distancing itself from Chinese drones and their components, in the context of increasingly stringent safety assessments and regulations.

"They finance the armament of EU members by encouraging them to spend loans on armaments, but on weapons that are produced in the EU, so if you want to buy an asset that is from China, you will not receive support from these funds," he said.

According to him, countries like BiH, which aspires to membership in the Union, must adhere to these regulations.

"It is quite normal for the EU to seek to protect itself from Chinese technology in this regard and I see that, if not now, it will soon impose a precondition for countries that want to become EU members to avoid purchasing such assets with elements from China," the analyst concludes.

Serbian military analyst Aleksandar Radić told Radio Free Europe that "any tool can be misused," including drones, whether from China or any other country.

“This is why a well-organized state has security mechanisms that prevent abuse,” says Radić.

He points out that the Chinese company DJI made a major breakthrough in the market with its massive use in the war in eastern Ukraine, "because both sides realized that these drones could carry a hand grenade."

Commercial drones, he adds, were used in that war not only for reconnaissance, but also for fire support.

The need for changes in the law

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are currently no special rules for the import of drones, so users of devices weighing less than 25 kilograms only need to register them, with registration being renewed every three years, in accordance with current regulations.

This practice could change if drones are included in the List of Special Purpose Goods, which would imply a stricter import control regime.

The BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations states that the proposed change is motivated primarily by "security reasons."

"In the last two years, there has been a significant increase in their imports, as well as an increasing number of questions regarding the need for permits. Some models are approaching dual-use goods in terms of technical characteristics, which further justifies the need for clearer regulations," the Ministry says.

They add that this is not military equipment and that for import it is only necessary to obtain approval from the competent authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which determines the purpose of the import.

They emphasize that country of origin is not a decisive factor for inclusion on the List.

"The main criteria relate to technical characteristics, possibilities of misuse and potential security risks," the Ministry said.

BHANSA, the BiH Air Navigation Services Agency, warned in a statement at the end of February that the country must urgently harmonize legislation with European standards in drone management, in order to protect airspace and critical infrastructure.

They spoke after the European Commission presented an action plan to combat threats from drones.

Among the main messages, it is emphasized that it is necessary to improve the Law on BHANSA in order to precisely define its responsibilities in controlling unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as to adopt a new Law on BiH Aviation.

How many Chinese drones are in the skies of the region?

China has been the largest exporter of drones to BiH for several years.

Last year, drones worth around 3 million marks (around 1.5 million euros) were imported into BiH, the majority of which, almost 90 percent, came from China.

Chinese drones are also dominant in imports to Montenegro.

Since 2022, according to data from the Statistical Office of Montenegro, Monstat, by far the largest number of drones has arrived in the country from China.

As of the time of writing this article, we have not received any information from the competent institutions regarding the import of civilian drones into Serbia and Kosovo.

How do the EU and the US treat Chinese drones?

In February, the EU adopted an Action Plan on Drones and Counter-Drone Defense.

In this document, the Union does not specifically mention drones imported from China, but emphasizes that in this area it is necessary to invest in its own production and pay attention to safety.

"With the full implementation of the Cyber ​​Resilience Act in December 2027, most drones placed on the EU market will be subject to mandatory cybersecurity requirements," the plan states.

In February, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a list of drones placed on the market after January 1, 2024, which are safe for use in the EU.

Among them are unmanned aerial vehicles from Chinese manufacturers.

In the United States, drones from Chinese manufacturer DJI, which holds about 70 percent of the global market, have been "blacklisted" by ministries there for years due to potential threats.

In 2017, the US military banned the use of DJI drones due to cybersecurity risks.

Three years later, this company was placed on the “blacklist” of the Ministry of Commerce there, for suspected involvement in human rights violations and surveillance of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.

In 2022, the US Department of Defense added them to a list of companies cooperating with the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Last December, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned approvals for the import and sale of all new types of drones (and their components) manufactured abroad.