The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently issued an advisory cautioning against the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, made in China.
The federal agency said the use of Chinese-manufactured drones poses a significant risk to critical infrastructure and national security. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has enacted laws that provide the government with expanded legal grounds for accessing and controlling data held by firms in China, according to the FBI.
China-based drone maker Dajiang Innovations dominates more than 90% of the U.S. hobby market, 70% of the industrial market and over 80% of the first responder market, according to Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems data. The company also receives government funding and preferential tax rate.
“The use of Chinese-manufactured UAS in critical infrastructure operations risks exposing sensitive information to PRC authorities, jeopardizing U.S. national security, economic security, and public health and safety,” according to the advisory,” the FBI said.
