Question 1

What is the minimum order quantity for drone batteries?

Accepted Answer

For most smart battery packs the MOQ is 5 units, which keeps lithium shipping costs per unit reasonable while still qualifying you for the standard export price. Sample orders of 1 to 3 units are usually possible for evaluation, priced at a higher unit rate. Motor, ESC and propellers carry no MOQ at all. When you request a quote, stating your target annual volume moves you to a tier price faster than negotiating from a single order.

Question 2

Do you accept single-unit orders for complete drones?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Complete aircraft are sold at single-unit quantity, because a buyer usually needs one airframe for evaluation and one for operations — the price difference between 1 and 5 units is modest. OEM branding, custom payload integration and private labelling carry their own minimums, typically 20 to 50 units, which the supplier will state explicitly in the quotation. Shipping is charged per parcel rather than per unit, so consolidating several models into one shipment is often cheaper.

Question 3

How long does production take after order confirmation?

Accepted Answer

Stocked items ship within 3 to 7 working days. Configured or customised aircraft take 15 to 30 working days depending on payload integration and firmware work. During high season for agricultural equipment, December through March, factories book out four to six weeks ahead, so place orders earlier if you need delivery before the planting season. Every quotation states a realistic lead time based on the supplier’s current queue, and we do not quote optimistic dates to win an order.

Question 4

How do you ship lithium batteries internationally?

Accepted Answer

Every battery type we ship carries a UN38.3 test summary, and each battery is packed with the correct hazard labels in compliance with IATA and IMDG rules. Air freight is the normal method, with lithium batteries shipped at the state of charge permitted for the carrier — usually 30 to 50 per cent. Sea freight is available for larger orders and is more economical for heavy battery consignments, though transit is considerably longer. DDP terms can be arranged for most destinations, which means your broker receives a single consolidated shipment.

Question 5

Which payment terms do you accept?

Accepted Answer

For first orders we work with a 30 per cent deposit against the proforma invoice and 70 per cent against the copy bill of lading, which is the most common arrangement for new buyers and protects both sides. T/T in full is accepted for repeat orders, and L/C at sight is available for orders above 20,000 USD on request. We do not accept Western Union or personal transfers, and we are not able to offer credit terms to a buyer with no trading history — the first two to three orders are the normal way to establish that history.

Question 6

Do your drones come with FAA Remote ID compliance?

Accepted Answer

Platforms sold for the US market include either built-in Remote ID broadcasting over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or a compatible external module, and the method is stated on each product page. Buyers should note that Remote ID is a separate matter from aircraft registration, which the operator completes with the FAA before the first flight. If you need the specific grant documentation, request it with your inquiry and we will supply the test report and declaration alongside the quotation.

Question 7

How quickly can you supply spare parts after a failure?

Accepted Answer

For batteries, motors, ESCs and propellers, parts for the current and previous two model years are typically held in regional stock and ship within 72 hours. For flight controllers, GNSS modules and gimbals, lead time is longer because these are assembled to order and sometimes require firmware pairing with your specific airframe. The most cost-effective mitigation is to keep a spare battery and a spare propeller set per aircraft, and to record your firmware versions at handover — a surprising share of "hardware failures" turn out to be configuration issues. Comprehensive spare parts packages are available on request.

Question 8

What warranty do you provide on complete drones?

Accepted Answer

Complete aircraft carry a 12-month warranty from delivery, covering manufacturing defects in the airframe, flight controller, ESCs and integrated payload modules. Batteries are warranted for 12 months or 200 charge cycles, whichever comes first, and are excluded from the aircraft warranty once removed. Warranty is advance replacement rather than return-to-factory, where stock allows, because a drone grounded for six weeks is a drone that is not flying. Wear items — propellers, landing gear, gimbal bearings — are consumables and are not covered. A spare parts package at handover reduces warranty claims significantly.

Question 9

What is UAVSale and how do you vet suppliers?

Accepted Answer

UAVSale is a B2B marketplace for commercial drones and spare parts. We do not simply host listings: every supplier passes a five-stage verification before their products appear in search results. That sequence is entity validation, documentation review including export licence and certification validity, a factory audit covering production line and quality control, sample inspection of flight performance and battery safety, and finally tier assignment. The tier a supplier receives determines which markets they may ship to, where their listings rank, and how quickly their inquiries are routed to a sales representative. We publish the audit trail on each supplier profile so you can see what was actually checked.

Question 10

What is the minimum order quantity for complete aircraft?

Accepted Answer

Complete aircraft are sold at single-unit quantity, because a buyer usually needs one airframe for evaluation and one for operations, and the price difference between one and five units is modest. OEM branding, custom payload integration and private labelling carry their own minimums, typically 20 to 50 units, which the supplier states explicitly in the quotation. Shipping is charged per parcel rather than per unit, so consolidating several models into one shipment is often cheaper than shipping them separately.

Question 11

What is included in the quoted price?

Accepted Answer

The quoted price is the unit price of the aircraft or part as specified in the quotation line, in the currency stated on that line, and it excludes destination charges. Spare part prices exclude inbound freight, customs duty and value added tax, because those depend on the destination country, the declared value and the importer of record rather than on the supplier. For complete aircraft the quotation states whether the battery and propellers are included or priced separately, since a significant number of buyers order the airframe alone and source batteries separately. Where a price is quoted as DDP, the duty and tax treatment is stated on the quotation and there is nothing further to pay on arrival.

Question 12

How long does shipping take by sea and by air?

Accepted Answer

Consolidated sea freight from the main Chinese ports to Europe takes 28 to 35 days port to port, and 30 to 40 days to the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Air freight is 5 to 9 days depending on the destination and the dangerous goods handling required for lithium batteries. Air is the right choice for a first evaluation order of one or two aircraft because it compresses the elapsed time and lets the buyer start flight testing sooner, but for a fleet order the air freight cost on lithium batteries is usually higher than the sea freight it saves. The shipment mode should be fixed at order stage, because battery charge level and packaging requirements differ between air and sea, and changing the mode after production means repacking.

Question 13

Which customs documents do you provide?

Accepted Answer

Every consignment ships with a commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or air waybill, and the invoice carries the HS codes, declared values, country of origin and the standard certificate documents for the specific model. For dangerous goods the UN38.3 test summary and the safety data sheet are included, and the declaration of conformity for the destination market is provided on request. Buyers who have not imported from China before should ask their broker to confirm the importer-of-record arrangement before the first shipment, because a mismatch between the named importer and the consignee on the commercial invoice is the single most common reason a shipment is held at customs. We provide the documentation set in advance of dispatch so the broker can pre-clear the entry.

Question 14

Which payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Bank transfer is the standard method, in USD or EUR. Letter of credit at sight is available for orders above 20,000 USD. Western Union and personal transfers are not accepted, and credit terms cannot be offered to a buyer without a trading history. If your company pays through a corporate treasury system that requires supplier onboarding documents, request the supplier pack early: it contains the company registration, bank details and certification index, and onboarding usually takes longer than the production lead time.

Question 15

Can I order a sample before a bulk purchase?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A sample order of one or two aircraft is the normal way a buyer evaluates a platform, and we price samples at a higher unit rate because the shipping cost is spread over fewer units and the certification documents are issued per order rather than per batch. The sample carries the same serial-numbered airframe and the same documentation as a production aircraft, so what you fly is what you receive. Some buyers keep the sample airframe as a permanent training unit instead of selling it on, which is a reasonable use of a small aircraft but one to confirm with the local authority before import.

Question 16

Which certifications do I need for my market?

Accepted Answer

For the European Union, a CE marking with the EU Declaration of Conformity is the baseline, and for any aircraft with a radio the Radio Equipment Directive applies alongside it. If the aircraft flies in the United States, FCC Part 15 authorisation is required, and if it operates in United States airspace a Remote ID capability is needed. Brazil requires ANATEL certification for the telemetry radio. Japan requires TELEC certification, and the United Kingdom accepts either UKCA or CE depending on the product and the transition arrangements in force. Rather than work through this list yourself, tell us the destination market and the application, and we will state the certification package the aircraft will carry.

Question 17

How can I verify that a supplier has really been audited?

Accepted Answer

Every supplier profile on UAVSale carries a public audit trail showing which of the five verification stages were completed and when, so you can see for yourself whether the tier claimed matches the work that was done. The audit trail records the document review, the factory audit with its findings, the sample inspection results and the tier assignment, and it names the operator who made each decision rather than only the outcome. Where a supplier claims a certification, the certificate number is listed and can be checked against the issuing body directly. If a supplier cannot or will not produce an audit trail, that is itself the answer.

Question 18

How quickly can you ship spare parts?

Accepted Answer

For the batteries, motors, ESCs and propellers of the current and previous two model years, we hold regional stock and ship a replacement within 72 hours of a confirmed order. For structural parts such as arms, landing gear and gimbal bearings, the lead time is longer because they are made to order, and the supplier should state a dispatch time per line item in writing. That named-parts list with stated dispatch times is worth more than a general assurance of after-sales support, because it converts a vague commitment into something you can hold someone to. When you are comparing suppliers, ask for the list and check whether the answer is specific.

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