[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Politico reported on the 23rd (local time) that the threat of Chinese spy activities is increasing as hundreds of Chinese-made drones have appeared in the Washington DC flight control zone in recent months.
Three senators told Politico that reports related to unmanned aerial systems (UAS·drones) have been submitted to the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Commerce Committee, and Intelligence Committee.
These drones are commercial drones made by China's DJI, which are geo-fenced to prevent flying in sensitive areas such as airports or controlled zones, but it is understood that users bypassed this technology.
DJI is the world's largest drone manufacturer dominating the commercial drone market in the United States. The U.S. government has identified DJI as receiving investment from Chinese authorities and is wary of its connections with the Chinese government.
Officials do not believe the Chinese government is directing the operation of these drones, but they warned of the risk of hacking the drones' cameras or sensors for intelligence gathering purposes.
Senator Marco Rubio of the Senate Intelligence Committee submitted a bill to the Federal Communications Commission in February to add DJI to the list of companies that pose a national security threat.
He warned, "All technology products from China or Chinese companies have substantial and potentially vulnerable parts, and these vulnerabilities can be exploited at any time, including during conflicts," and argued that the authority of government agencies related to drones should be expanded.
Deputy Undersecretary of Homeland Security Samantha Vinograd also appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee in July, expressing concerns that intelligence agencies or criminals could use commercial drones for spying, stealing sensitive technology, or launching cyberattacks against wireless communication devices or networks.
The Department of Defense banned the purchase of Chinese-made drones in 2017, and the Department of the Interior, which operates the most drones among federal agencies, only uses Chinese-made drones in emergencies. However, Politico reported that thousands of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies still rely on DJI drones.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about 1.7 million drones are registered in the United States, and this number is expected to increase to 2.3 million by 2024.
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