Open For Business Aonic: From DJI Distributor to Made in Malaysia Drones
Nov 18, 2025
Cheong Jin Xi (JX), the visionary Founder and CEO of Aonic, discusses the company's evolution from a DJI distributor to a leader in Malaysian-made drones. He explains how Aonic's proprietary Mist Tec 50 drone addresses after-sales costs for farmers with affordable, repair-friendly components. JX highlights their comprehensive ecosystem of service centers, software, and financing tailored to agricultural needs. He also shares insights on expanding into robotics and the strategic benefits of being 'Made in Malaysia' for global exports.
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Control Cuts After‑Sales Costs
- Local control of electronics and firmware cuts repair costs dramatically versus imported drones.
- JX claims crash repairs drop from thousands of ringgit to a few hundred when components are locally serviceable.
Design For Local Farmers’ Needs
- Design products for local farming structure and price sensitivity, not global feature‑lists.
- Omit unnecessary components to keep costs low and maximise farmer ROI.
40% Local Content Unlocks Export Access
- Achieving >40% local content enabled a Malaysian certificate of origin and trade advantages.
- This helps Aonic access ASEAN and Western markets wary of Chinese‑made drones.