DJI drones and the surveillance technology on board these systems are collecting vast amounts of
sensitive data—everything from high-resolution images of critical infrastructure to facial recognition
technology and remote sensors that can measure an individual’s body temperature and heart rate,”
Commissioner Carr stated. “Security researchers have also found that DJI’s software applications collect large quantities of personal information from the operator’s smartphone that could be exploited by
Beijing. Indeed, one former Pentagon official stated that ‘we know that a lot of the information is sent
back to China from’ DJI drones.
“DJI’s collection of vast troves of sensitive data isespecially troubling given that China’s National
Intelligence Law grants the Chinese government the power to compel DJI to assist it in espionage
activities. In fact, the Commerce Department placed DJI on its Entity List last year, citing DJI’s role in
Communist China’s surveillance and abuse of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Add to this information the
widespread use of DJI drones by various state and local public safety and law enforcement agencies as
well as news reports that the U.S. Secret Service and FBI recently bought DJI drones, and the need for
quick action on the potential national security threat is clear.
From the FCC.