US Army Seeks Ban on Chinese-made DJI Drones By Its Members

The US Army has asked its members not to use off-the-shelf Chinese-made DJI drones due to cyber-vulnerabilities, Reuters reported.

The US Army August 2 memo posted online and verified by Reuters applies to all DJI drones and systems using DJI components or software. According to the memo, the service members are required to “cease all use, uninstall all DJI applications, and remove all batteries, storage media and secure equipment for follow-on direction,”

A Pentagon spokesman said the Army was considering issuing a statement about the policy. DJI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The move appears to follow studies conducted by the Army Research Laboratory and the Navy that said there were risks and vulnerabilities in DJI products.

The memo cites a classified Army Research Laboratory report and a Navy memo, both from May as references for the order to cease use of DJI drones and related equipment.