Data Security

In a fresh escalation of technological tensions, China’s Ministry of Commerce has denounced the United States’ decision to investigate potential security risks posed by Chinese-made drones. The ministry has labeled the US actions as “extremely irresponsible,” accusing Washington of unjustly targeting foreign drones without concrete evidence.

The future of DJI drones in the US is uncertain with the Countering CCP Drones Act, aka the DJI drone ban bil, passing in the US House of Representatives and moving to the Senate. However, one of the central allegations against DJI — that it shares user data with the Chinese government — remains speculative and unsupported by evidence. And now, a new independent audit has reaffirmed that DJI employs stringent data privacy measures for US operators, with no sign of data being transmitted to China.

As drone technology continues to evolve, so do concerns about data security and privacy among US drone professionals. A recent survey conducted by Teledyne FLIR highlights that a staggering 85% of drone professionals consider data security a crucial factor when selecting a drone platform. This sentiment echoes findings from the previous year, indicating a steady awareness of data protection issues.

In a recent Reddit AMA, Adam Welsh, DJI’s global head of policy, candidly addressed the company’s stance on evolving US legislation, data security concerns, and a potential ban on the sale of future DJI drones in America. Welsh’s response to the most pressing question: “Will DJI abandon the US market?” is a clear “no.” Despite rising tensions, the tech giant remains committed to maintaining operations and exploring avenues to secure its foothold.

In response to DJI’s upcoming removal of US customers’ historical flight data, AirData has teamed up with Google to ensure a seamless solution for drone pilots using Android devices.

Skydio has announced the establishment of a National Security Advisory Board. The US drone maker will now receive strategic guidance from a cohort of seasoned national security experts while delivering autonomous drone solutions to the Department of Defense and allied militaries. The development comes at a time when Chinese drone maker DJI is facing a potential ban in the US amid data security concerns.

DJI has announced that starting next week, it will disable the option for US drone pilots to sync their flight records to DJI’s servers. The change comes at a time when a bill proposing to ban DJI drones has been scheduled for a Senate hearing amid data security concerns.

US government agencies, public safety agencies, and private industry conducting sensitive aerial missions can now refer to new guidance before purchasing any drones. The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) have released a memo with procurement guidance and recommendations for security-focused drones. The development comes at a time when a bill proposing to ban DJI drones is expected to move in Congress amid data security concerns.

Tech giant DJI has provided a detailed response to legislation that seeks to ban its drones in the US. If passed, the “Countering CCP Drones Act” would prevent operators from buying the latest DJI drones — and may also potentially ground existing fleets, regardless of how operators use them — because it would prohibit DJI from operating on US communications infrastructure. The bill has already advanced to clear a Congress committee hearing.

The world’s leading drone maker DJI has clearly had enough of the recurring accusations about the data security of its craft, and the attendant blacklists drawn up by US political leaders offering no substantiation of their claims. In response, the company has issued a rare clarification about the steps it takes to secure user information on its craft.

US politicians responding to soured relationships and strong distrust of China have again tabled legislation seeking to prohibit use of technology produced by companies from the nation, with popular and widely deployed DJI drones clearly the primary focus of those efforts.

In spite of the rash of largely protectionist blacklisting initiatives in the US justified by nominal data piracy motives, a new survey commissioned by drone and onboard tech specialist Teledyne FLIR indicates information leak risks remain a middling UAV purchasing criterion for US enterprise and public administrations operators.

A cybersecurity news website says its research team has discovered a 54.5GB unprotected database of DJI drone logs. The leaky data contains over 80,000 unique drone IDs, aircraft model and serial numbers, the position of the drone’s pilot, and more.

It doesn’t appear the US turbulence that the world’s largest maker of drones has faced for the past year is ending just yet, following a news report alleging DJI received direct funding from China’s state organizations despite its holding structure as a private, independent firm.

As the backlash against it continues to grow, DJI insists it’s getting even more focused on data privacy. For the last five years, DJI has had a team of 30 devoted entirely to the privacy and data security features of its products. Collectively, this team has contributed more than 300,000 hours to bolster DJI’s apps, servers, chipsets, and firmware, the company says.

It’s been nearly a year since the Ring’s Always Home Cam was unveiled at Amazon’s hardware event, and the reasons to love or hate the household security drone have been unrestrainedly shouted ever since. Now consumers are finally getting the chance to adopt the aerial watchdog, and either adore or detest it in their very own abode, sweet abode.

Leading players in Europe’s drone sector have banded together to create the Drones4Sec “action tank,” whose objectives include coordinating the increased use of efficient uncrewed aerial systems and automated applications with maximal respect for data protection.

French drone manufacturer Parrot has partnered with digital security specialist WISeKey to reinforce protection of data collected and transmitted by Parrot craft. As part of that, the pair will also work toward a more ambitious goal of hardware and communication system protection of data that may serve as the basis for global security standards for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

We’re all familiar with the threat posed by malware and viruses when it comes to our computers. But what about drones? Should we be offering protection for them as well? The concept certainly makes sense, and two companies have joined forces to work on a solution.

An executive order is being prepared by the Trump administration that would effectively ban all federal departments and agencies from buying or using foreign-made drones. They claim the drones pose a risk to national security, according to TechCrunch.
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DJI’s Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and legal affairs, talks about drones, fighting the coronavirus with agricultural drones, the FAA’s NPRM on Remote ID, and data security with Julia Chatterley on CNN.

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