Iran's 'Basement' War Prep: Mobilizing Chinese Resources?

As analyses suggest Iran is building a decentralized FPV drone force by mobilizing low-cost Chinese components, concerns are growing over the possibility of attacks via sleeper cells within the U.S. mainland. Experts diagnose that such a threat structure could act as a factor driving up geopolitical risk premiums.

Cameron Chell of Draganfly stated that Iran is developing the capability to mass-produce first-person view (FPV) drones by sourcing inexpensive Chinese components from the basements of apartment buildings in Tehran. He explained that FPV drones are difficult to defend against, effective, and can be operated without a centralized command structure. Chell estimated that Iran has the potential to produce over 100,000 FPV drones per month and suggested that sleeper cells capable of manufacturing and deploying them may already exist within the U.S.

Recently, Iran-aligned militias calling themselves the 'Iraqi Islamic Resistance' in Iraq have carried out multiple FPV drone attacks at Baghdad International Airport. Footage released in March 2026 appears to show FPV drones striking U.S. military UH-60M or HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar systems at Baghdad International Airport.