Bad news for DJI in the United States. Finally, the Department of Defense decided to maintain the existing blockade on the drones of the Chinese march , since it considers them a security threat. In recent days, the Pentagon issued a statement to clarify reports that have emerged in recent months; They established a supposedly more flexible position of the US security authorities regarding the products of the Asian brand.
However, the US authorities remain firm. This means that DJI drones remain under the restrictions that were applied late last year. For this reason, the devices remain unusable in government areas , while their manufacturer remains on the “black list” of the Department of Commerce.
What is the reason for the twists and turns regarding DJI and its relationship with the United States? On June 1, The Hill published a report citing a statement from the Department of Defense. In it, apparently admitted that the drones of the Chinese company were safe enough to use .
In fact, the Pentagon itself would have acknowledged that it did not find malicious code or other signs that would raise suspicions about an alleged use for espionage.
However , the latest statement from the Department of Defense indicates that DJI products are still considered a potential security threat, and that its own document assuring the contrary was disclosed without permission .
A recent report indicated that certain DJI models had been found to be approved for acquisitions and operations by US government departments and agencies. This report was inaccurate and uncoordinated, and its publication unauthorized is under review by the Department.
DJI remains a potential security threat to the United States
While DJI is blacklisted by the US Department of Commerce, it can still sell its products to the public. The blockade does prevent US companies from marketing their technology to their Chinese counterpart, or from public institutions making agreements with it.
It is worth noting that the United States Congress is considering a law that definitively prohibits the Government from buying Chinese drones (regardless of the brand) for five years. However, if approved, would only be launched in 2023 .
While waiting for more news, DJI sent an official response to The Verge . In it, he assured that the Department of Defense told him that no “malicious code or malicious intent” was found in his products . It even mentions reverse engineering all of DJI's source code for that purpose.
The Department of Defense source code analysis is the latest in a long line of third-party security examinations of DJI technology over the past three years, and no evidence has ever been presented to support the notion that our products are a threat. for national security.
Will there be a new chapter in the dispute between DJI and the US authorities? The story seems far from over.
