Chinese drone maker DJI has blasted a bill that would ban sales of its products in the US as “baseless allegations and xenophobic fear”, as it reiterated its commitment to user data security.
The US House of Representatives passed the annual National Defense Authorisation Act on Friday, which included a Countering CCP Drones Act that could limit future sales of DJI drones in the country.
The bill is advancing to the Senate for amendments and final approval before it goes to the desk of US President Joe Biden, who would need to sign it into law.
“The proposed bill sets a dangerous precedent for allowing baseless allegationsand xenophobic fears to drive public policy decisions that could negatively impactpublic safety and the US economy,” a DJI representative said in a statement onTuesday.
Shenzhen-based DJI,the world's biggest drone maker, said in the statement thatits products have helped small businesses in industries ranging from real estate toagriculture, and that it is committed to making its technology accessible toAmerican users.
A DJI Mini 4 Pro micro drone hovers over the ground. Photo: Shutterstock Images
The drone bill, introduced by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik last year, seeks tolimit the US operations of DJI by adding it to the Federal CommunicationCommission's Covered List, which would bar the company's drones from using thecommunications infrastructure in the country.
Calling DJI a threat to national security, the bill said it aims to protect Americanusers’ data and preserve America's supply chain.
DJI refuted the claims and reiterated its protection of user data. “Since 2017, ourdata security practices have been validated by multiple US federal agencies as wellas independent private sector fi rms,” the company said.
The looming ban adds to the challenges DJI faces in one of its biggest markets,after the US Commerce Department imposed export restrictions on the company in2020, accusing it of being complicit in the oppression of China's Uygur minorityand aiding the Chinese military.
In 2019, the US Congress also banned the Pentagon from buying or using dronesand components manufactured in China.
China is the world's leading supplier of drones. The country has about 15,000companies in the industry, of which 1,300 are based in Shenzhen, with a combinedannual output valued at 16 billion yuan (US$2.2 billion), according to data from theShenzhen Drone Association.
*Article from myNEWS