In the latest episode of US government vs. drone maker DJI, lawmakers are demanding oversight into the Department of Defense’s role in allowing American companies to export critical components to DJI. In the middle of the controversy is Maryland-based Ceva whose technology is powering some of the most popular DJI drones including the Mavic 3, Mini 3 Pro, Air 2S, and DJI FPV aircraft.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, a group of 15 Republican lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to block export licenses for US components to the Chinese company giant because “American technology should not be advancing DJI drones.”
The letter says that there are several “credible industry reports” that provide evidence of US components being found inside DJI drones, suggesting that the US government is granting export licenses for the same. Ceva, for instance, openly touts that its AI vision technology is powering DJI drones. And the problem, according to the lawmakers, is that DJI drones put US national security at risk.
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“From facilitating terrorist attacks in the Middle East to intelligence threats to the American homeland, drones made by the Chinese-owned company DJI pose an unacceptable risk to our national security,” says Mike Gallagher, who chairs the House Select Committee on China. “Despite these clear threats, which landed DJI drones on multiple government blacklists, DJI has leveraged bureaucratic get-out-of-jail-free cards to rip off American technology while undermining our national security. This needs to stop.”
DJI, meanwhile, claims that the letter “traffics in distortions and misrepresentations of fact.”
The company tells Reuters, “We strongly deny any allegations against DJI regarding human rights. Our drones have proven to be among the most innovative, cost-effective, and easy to use – while leading on data security.”
It’s worth mentioning that the American Security Drone Act of 2023, which is currently awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature as part of National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), prohibits government agencies from using drones that are manufactured or assembled in China.
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