DJI, a Chinese company that manufactures the most popular drones in the U.S., has come under fire from the U.S. government’s Defense Department. Not only might the U.S. armed forces be prohibited from buying them in the future, according to an article in the New York Times, but the purchase ban is likely to extend to other federal agencies and programs. Will DJI drones really be banned in the U.S. this time? Despite the fact that drones are avidly used by filmmakers in America to film scenes we never thought possible (for example, this scene in the movie “Ambulance” here or the motorbike chasing scene in “Skyfall” here), their original and primary use was for military surveillance. However, drones today are also used in real-time for search and rescue operations, monitoring wildlife, delivering medical supplies, damage assessment after a tornado or earthquake (and the list goes on) – always able to get to any place humans can’t (easily) reach. Now, the United States has considered the company a security threat, and DJI drones could be banned. Swimmers rescued by drone. Source: National Geographic So what’s the problem? “DJI presents an unacceptable national security risk, and it is past time that drones made by Communist China are removed from America….Any attempt to claim otherwise is a direct result of DJI’s lobbying efforts.” Representative Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York (a sponsor of the Countering CCP Drones Act) Ms. Stefanek added that “government agencies have shown that DJI drones are providing data...
Published By: CineD - Monday, 3 June, 2024