‘Drones made in Communist China pose a significant threat to our freedoms and security,’ Sen. Rick Scott says.
Two senators have introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent Chinese drone technologies from operating on U.S. communications infrastructure.
The lawmakers explained that Chinese drones pose a risk because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wields considerable influence over Chinese companies.
“Drones made in communist China pose a significant threat to our freedoms and security and cannot be allowed to continue operating in American skies. Companies based in Communist China are at the will of Xi’s evil regime, meaning one of the United States’ greatest adversaries has total access to every bit of data collected by devices,” Scott said in a statement.
“It should terrify every single American that the Chinese Communist Party, known for spying, stealing, and espionage, could have access to footage of Americans, their land, their businesses, and their families without their knowledge.”
The legislation would also set up a short-term grant program under the Department of Transportation to allow first respondents to replace existing Chinese drones and purchase U.S.-made alternatives.
Chinese Drones
DJI and Autel control about 90 percent of the global drone market; the two Chinese firms have commercial relationships with thousands of state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies in the United States, according to Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.).
“Drones have tremendous potential to support agriculture, make our communities safer, and grow our economy. Yet without further intervention, the drone industry could be susceptible to massive intervention from the Communist Party of China, directly threatening our national security and economy,” Warner said in a statement.
“I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to restore American leadership in the drone industry and ensure that the CCP can’t wreak havoc by spying on Americans or otherwise disrupting key functions of drone technology.”
“Now, we must pass the Countering CCP Drones and Supporting Drones for Law Enforcement Act as a necessary next step to eliminate the threats we face from Communist China and further protect the security of the United States and every American family,” Mr. Scott said.
“In the interest of national security, organizations collecting sensitive information, including critical infrastructure owners and operators, must shift away from unsecure PRC drones and reliance on foreign supply chains,” he said, referring to China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China.