Propelling to New Heights: The Chinese Drone Debacle

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s… a Chinese drone.

Flying under the radar: Members of Congress are concerned about Chinese-manufactured drones on American farms, saying they’re a national security threat.

The specific drones concerning the legislators are made by Chinese company DJI, which has indicated it has no ties to the Chinese military. DJI is the world’s largest drone manufacturer.

Soundbite: “The unfounded accusations against our agricultural drone technology are putting U.S. farmers at risk by potentially depriving them of the tremendous benefits that DJI spray drones offer.” — DJI

Grounding concerns: Even farmers are defending DJI, saying losing access to the technology would negatively impact their productivity and profitability. Farmers’ use of drones has grown along with their crops. According to a survey from Iowa State University, 21% of the state’s farmers use drones. And 32% plan to use them in the future. Nationally, that number is flying even higher with a 2023 CropLife/Purdue survey saying drone use is at 30% among ag retailers— and that’s expect to increase to 54% by 2025.

The sky’s the limit: Nevertheless, a letter signed by 12 lawmakers to Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack calls on the USDA to ban DJI drones from operating in the U.S. The letter says there’s a possibility of DJI’s agricultural spray drones being manipulated to carry out an attack on the U.S. and put the food supply at risk. There are fears these drones can be used to send vital information and data to China.

Not just a letter: This letter is tied to a bill—the Countering CCP Drones Act—that has passed the House. DJI would be added to the “covered list” and prevent future FCC licenses for DJI. This bill, a rider to the defense spending bill, needs to fly with the Senate too to become law.