What happened

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security say: Drones from DJI and another manufacturer called Autel pose a danger to operators.

Last month, the United States passed a drone safety law that bans government agencies or government-backed third parties from purchasing and operating drones made in China. The restrictions come after allegations that UAVs are being produced by the likes of DJI and Autel. Leaking collected data to the Chinese government With a potentially negative goal for the United States.

Although specific companies are not mentioned in the law itself, they were mentioned during the debate process. Advocates pushing for the implementation of these rules also made a very compelling case for the 2017 Chinese law. Requires companies in the country to cooperate with government intelligence services, including providing access to data collected in China and around the world. As you can see, Autel and DJI deny everything.

The FBI and CISA largely repeated these allegations in their announcement Wednesday. They also warned government administrations, law enforcement agencies and even private companies that use these drones in the United States about the need to switch to safe analogues of American origin. Agencies recommend consulting the Department of Defense’s UAV Blue List to identify options consistent with federal cybersecurity policy. This list consists almost entirely of US-made unmanned aerial vehicles. They are generally considered more expensive and less efficient than DJI and Autel alternatives; This is the main reason why corporate and amateur pilots have made them dominant in the US and global markets.

The agencies also cited the China Data Security Law of 2021, which expands the PRC’s access and control of companies in China and their data and imposes significant fines on Chinese businesses for failure to comply with the law.

The data collected by such companies is important for China’s military-civil fusion strategy, which aims to gain a strategic advantage against the United States by facilitating access to advanced technology and expertise. The PRC’s collection of sensitive information and the potential network access gained by Chinese-made UAVs could have significant impacts on the security and resilience of critical infrastructure.
– says the message.

As a result, public and private drone users are advised to stop using Chinese-made drones and purchase alternative, safer options. If that’s not possible, here are some tips for deploying, maintaining, and updating firmware to limit third-party data hacking opportunities.

According to some estimates, 70% of UAVs currently used in the United States are produced by DJI. Therefore, there are serious doubts about whether such a proposal is realistic.