Brits Protest Chinese Britten-Norman Islander Drone Clone

The U.K.'s Conservative Party is accusing China of copying the design of the iconic Britten-Norman BN-2T Islander for a new cargo drone it's developing. Britten-Norman says it's "aware of a UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] currently undergoing testing that bears a striking resemblance, including unique design elements specific to our product." Chinese state media showed video of the new drone undergoing testing last week. It described the aircraft as being "home-grown." Britten-Norman also says it's developing an autonomous cargo-carrying version of the versatile twin, which is used for regional passenger and cargo operations around the world, particularly on unimproved runways.

The specs of the Chinese drone are identical to the Islander and Britten-Norman would like them to stop. “The Islander is a globally renowned, iconic airframe and this UAV does not have our endorsement," the company said. "We have already developed and produced our own cargo variant, and we are actively exploring autonomous capabilities." The company says it's considering "whether further action is required to protect the Islander’s iconic design.”