Department of Interior to stop using Chinese-made drones

The Department of Interior recently decided to halt the use of non-essential Chinese-made drones or drones made from Chinese components pending a review of the program.

The exception would be drones used for emergency purposes.

All of the department’s 810 drones have Chinese hardware, and 121 were manufactured in China. The department did not give a reason for the decision.

A 15-month review of its drone program was completed in July. At the time, the department said it would continue use of the drones but recommended strategies to prevent data leaks.

In September, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation to stop the department from using Chinese-made drones. The bill was co-sponsored by Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Rick Scott (R-FL).

“Following many conversations between my office and the Interior Department, I’m glad to see the department has seen the light and reversed course,” Scott said in a statement. “We should not, under any circumstances, put American national security at risk by using taxpayer dollars to purchase Chinese tech.”

The National Defense Authorization Act includes language banning the sale of Chinese drones for military use.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about Chinese-made drones, and the Department of Defense stopped buying commercial drones pending review.