The Wall Street Journal recently quoted U.S. officials as saying that the U.S. Air Force recently purchased dozens of Chinese-made drones for testing and training purposes. The move has raised concerns in U.S. political circles that the Department of Defense continues to use technology that could threaten national security.
In September, the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command reportedly purchased 57 drones from Shenzhen-based DJI, the world’s largest commercial drone maker. U.S. officials say the drones will be used to train pilots, and that the Chinese-made drones are cost-effective and practical.
But critics point out that the drones could be used to gather information about the U.S. military and critical infrastructure and send that information back to China.
A spokesman for the U.S. Special Operations Command said that the U.S. Air Force could cover the drones’ cameras while conducting certain operations. These drones may not be connected to any military computer networks, nor will they be used near “sensitive sites.
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