In a latest letter to the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company (CISA), 12 members of Congress expressed considerations about using Chinese language-manufactured drones in U.S. agriculture. The letter highlights the potential dangers posed by drones produced by Shenzhen DJI Innovation Know-how Co., Ltd. (DJI), citing nationwide safety and meals safety considerations.
These worries stem from fears that the Chinese language Communist Get together (CCP) could use these drones to compromise the U.S. meals provide. DJI, the world’s main producer of drones, has responded by defending its merchandise and practices, calling the allegations unfounded.
Congressional Considerations Over Meals and Nationwide Safety
The letter from the members of Congress emphasizes the strategic significance of meals safety and accuses the CCP of attempting to undermine the U.S. agricultural sector by way of unfair commerce practices and authorities subsidies. The lawmakers acknowledged, “Food security is national security and the CCP is actively trying to undermine America’s global agricultural dominance.”
They additional warned that the Folks’s Republic of China (PRC) has elevated its possession of U.S. agricultural land and that Chinese language spies have stolen genetically modified seeds developed within the U.S. “Dominating the supply of agriculture drones is another strategy that the PRC is pursuing to jeopardize America’s food supply,” the letter claimed.
In line with the lawmakers, DJI drones used for agriculture, particularly these geared up with aerosol allotting capabilities, have the potential for use as weapons. In addition they pointed to a report from the U.S. Division of Commerce, which classifies these drones as having “the potential to be used as weapons delivery platforms.” The congress members expressed concern that DJI’s drones might be manipulated to hold out assaults or transmit delicate agricultural knowledge to the CCP.
In addition they cited a cybersecurity steerage from CISA and the FBI, stating that using Chinese language-manufactured drones “risks exposing sensitive information to PRC authorities, jeopardizing U.S. national security, economic security, and public health and safety.”
DJI Defends Its Function in U.S. Agriculture
DJI responded to the letter with a weblog publish titled The Reality About DJI’s Agriculture Drones, during which the corporate refuted the allegations and harassed the optimistic affect of its know-how on U.S. farming. DJI’s assertion claimed that the corporate’s drones have been instrumental in “driving yield increases, reducing costs, and enabling more sustainable and innovative farming practices.”
The weblog publish criticized the congressional considerations as “overblown” and instructed that proscribing entry to DJI drones might hurt each the agricultural trade and the communities that depend on it. DJI defined that its market dominance is because of innovation, reliability, and security, relatively than any unfair commerce practices.
In addressing the safety considerations, DJI emphasised that it has “continuously invested in regular security audits” since 2017 and follows finest practices for cybersecurity. The corporate acknowledged, “DJI drones are safe and align with best practice cybersecurity.” The publish additional clarified that DJI is a privately held firm with no ties to the Chinese language army, and its founder has managed the corporate since its inception in 2006. “We do not manufacture military-grade equipment, nor do we pursue business opportunities for combat use or operations,” the weblog asserted.
The Broader Influence on U.S. Agriculture
Whereas the considerations about nationwide safety and meals safety are on the forefront of the talk, either side agree on the significance of know-how in fashionable agriculture. The congressional letter warned that counting on Chinese language know-how for essential agricultural operations might make the U.S. meals provide susceptible to manipulation by the CCP. “If the success of the U.S. agricultural industry is dependent on American farmers’ access to procuring and operating Chinese drones, then Communist China will have control over our nation’s food supply,” the lawmakers wrote.
However, DJI highlighted how its drones assist U.S. farmers by enhancing crop administration, decreasing enter prices, and rising yields. “DJI’s agriculture drone solutions have proven to support sustainable farming and help farmers incorporate precision agriculture techniques,” the corporate acknowledged. DJI additionally famous that its drones have created new enterprise alternatives for U.S. entrepreneurs, notably in offering drone spraying companies.
Shifting Ahead: Addressing Safety and Innovation
The problem of Chinese language-manufactured drones in U.S. agriculture raises complicated questions concerning the steadiness between innovation and nationwide safety. DJI has referred to as for a transparent set of technology-based safety requirements that every one producers, no matter origin, should comply with. In its weblog publish, DJI acknowledged, “If these members of Congress are truly interested in strengthening the U.S.’ agricultural capabilities and supporting farmers nationwide, they should engage directly with farmers to see firsthand how they use drone technologies to optimize their operations.”
The congressional members have requested a briefing on efforts to mitigate the dangers of Chinese language-manufactured drones to U.S. agriculture by the top of September 2024.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the business drone house and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, E-mail Miriam.
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