Buying a Chinese professional drone outside China: export licences, import, warranty and service

1. Export: does the drone need a Chinese export licence?

Since 1 September 2023, China has applied export controls to certain civilian drones and drone components, announced jointly by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the General Administration of Customs, with a revised set of measures reported as taking effect on 1 September 2024 (Global Trade Alert; Thomson Reuters regulatory summary, August 2024).

According to reporting on the 2023 announcement, the criteria combined flight beyond visual line of sight, endurance of 30 minutes or more and a takeoff weight above set thresholds. Long-endurance mapping VTOLs and large agricultural drones may therefore fall within scope, depending on their exact configuration.

What to do: ask the seller in writing whether your exact configuration needs an export licence, who applies for it, and how long it usually takes. Ask for the end-user certificate they will need from you. Write that lead time into your project schedule, and make the delivery date in the contract conditional on the licence.

We are not lawyers. The official MOFCOM text and your customs broker are the authoritative sources for your case.

2. Import into Switzerland

• Customs duty: Switzerland abolished import duties on industrial goods (customs tariff chapters 25 to 97, which include aircraft and drones) on 1 January 2024 (BAZG — Federal Office for Customs and Border Security; SECO).
• Import VAT is still due, along with any clearance fees. The import declaration process itself is unchanged (SECO).
• Radio equipment: the drone's control and video links must use frequencies and power levels allowed in Switzerland. Ask the seller for the European radio conformity documentation of the exact version you are buying. Some export versions are configured for other markets.
• Batteries and fuel: large lithium batteries are dangerous goods in transport. Hybrid aircraft (for example the JOUAV CW-30E, which runs on gasoline or heavy fuel plus battery according to JOUAV) add fuel-system rules. Confirm with the freight forwarder how batteries are shipped: with the aircraft, separately, or sourced locally.

European Union: EU customs and VAT rules differ from Swiss rules. Check the duty rate for your tariff code with your national customs authority or broker.

3. Flying it legally: the 25 kg line

Switzerland applies the European drone regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/947). The "open" category stops at 25 kg maximum takeoff weight. Above that, and for most beyond-visual-line-of-sight or spraying operations, you need an operational authorisation in the "specific" category from the aviation authority: FOCA (BAZL/OFAC) in Switzerland, your national authority elsewhere in Europe.

Examples from manufacturer spec pages (checked 21.10.2026):

• JOUAV CW-30E: 38 kg maximum takeoff weight (JOUAV). It is outside the open category in all cases.
• Agricultural spraying drones in Switzerland also need Agroscope approval of the drone model in addition to the FOCA authorisation. See our spraying regulation guide.

Plan the authorisation before you order. Our regulation guide covers UAS.gate registration, insurance and class marks.

4. Warranty: ask these questions in writing

Chinese manufacturers sell outside China through distributors, and the warranty is usually given by the seller, not by the factory directly. Before signing, get written answers to the following:

1. Who is the warranty provider: the manufacturer, a regional subsidiary or the distributor? What is its legal entity and country?
2. How long does the warranty last, what does it cover (airframe, motors, batteries, payload, software), and what does it exclude (crash, water ingress, unauthorised firmware)?
3. Where is a repair done: in your country, in the region, or by return to China? Who pays shipping, and is the export licence needed again for the return trip?
4. What is the committed repair turnaround time? Is a loaner aircraft available during the repair?
5. Is there an insurance or "care" product, and what does it cost per year?

5. Service and spare parts

• Ask for the list of wear parts (propellers, batteries, servos, landing gear, engine parts on hybrids) with prices and stock location.
• Ask whether a local technician or a partner workshop exists in your country, or only remote support.
• For hybrid VTOLs, ask for the engine maintenance interval and who is qualified to service the engine.
• Ask how firmware updates are delivered, and whether an update can change the aircraft's capabilities or geofencing in your region.

6. Training, software and data

• Is pilot and maintenance training included, where does it take place, and in which language?
• Which ground control and processing software is included Is there an annual licence?
• Data location: where are flight logs and imagery stored, and can the system operate fully offline? Industrial and public-sector clients often require this in writing.

7. Price: always ask for an itemised quote

Most Chinese industrial VTOLs and many large agricultural drones are sold on quotation, with no public price. That is the case for the JOUAV CW range as of 21 October 2026. Ask for a quote that separates: aircraft · payload(s) · ground station and datalink · batteries/charger or fuel system · spare parts kit · training · software licences · shipping and insurance (Incoterm stated) · warranty extension. This is the only way to compare offers from two distributors, or a Chinese VTOL against a European one.

8. Checklist to copy into your request for quotation

• ☐ Exact model and configuration (payload, datalink version)
• ☐ Chinese export licence needed? Who applies, how long? End-user certificate required?
• ☐ Incoterm and delivery address; battery/fuel shipping method
• ☐ European radio conformity documents for this version
• ☐ Warranty provider, duration, coverage, repair location, turnaround
• ☐ Spare parts list, prices, stock location
• ☐ Training (place, language, duration) and software licences
• ☐ Itemised price, validity date of the offer