Germany’s military will no longer use Chinese-made drones, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday, amid mounting concern among Western militaries that they could pose a security risk and be used to transmit sensitive information to Beijing.
They will now be replaced with European products. The spokesperson said the German defence ministry had no general ban on vehicles from specific countries or manufacturers, but said sensors installed in modern vehicles are seen as potential security risks, and therefore access to sensitive military sites can be restricted where necessary.
Drones from Chinese manufacturers had previously been permitted as a cost-effective option for target practice and training purposes, the spokesperson said. “To strengthen the Bundeswehr’s self-sufficiency and technological sovereignty, Chinese-made models will no longer be used,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. There is no blanket ban on the use of systems from specific countries, the spokesperson said, adding the decision is based on individual risk assessments aimed at safeguarding military security, IT and data security. China’s foreign ministry told Reuters that it opposed Germany’s “discriminatory practice” targeting Chinese products. DJI has repeatedly said its drones do not pose a security risk and in May the company told US lawmakers that an independent review had found “no evidence of data transmission outside the United States”.
