When it comes to consumer drones, Chinese manufacturer SZ DJI Technology is unarguably the world’s largest producer. The company’s customer base extends beyond China to the US, Europe and several other countries. In the US, DJI drones are deployed by not just the consumers but by the government agencies such as the police and military. However, the company is presently in the spotlight as US lawmakers reignite Trump’s and the US government’s rhetorics about Chinese companies posing a security risk to the US. The lawmakers and security researchers, during a public hearing, opined that America’s reliance on DJI, with up to 80% market share, poses a security risk.
Before the discussion about security gathers steam and becomes another Huawei/US imbroglio, DJI is taking proactive measures to reassure the US authority and end users that its drones are no security risk just because they are manufactured in China. The drone maker plans to commence assembling drones in one of its warehouses in California. The company says it will assemble its Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual drones in Cerritos, California after the US Customs and Border Protection determines that the US-produced value of its drones will qualify under the US Trade Agreements Act. That designation should make it easier for some US government agencies to buy the drones, the company said.
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The California plant will be DJI’s first assembly line located outside of Shenzhen, China, the company said in a statement on Monday. The company also disclosed that it carried out assembly tests at the plant in January, and it showed “positive results”. The plant is currently pending approval from relevant US departments.
DJI’s announcement to assemble drones in the US comes on the heels of the company sending an open letter to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, in which it rebutted security concerns that its products have security risks to the country.
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“DJI drones do not share flight logs, photos or videos unless the drone pilot deliberately chooses to do so. They do not automatically send flight data to China or anywhere else. They do not automatically transmit photos or videos over the internet. This data stays solely on the drone and on the pilot’s mobile device. DJI cannot share customer data it never receives,” the company said in the open letter.
Emphasizing that DJI customers have full control of their data, the Chinese company also said its products help American businesses and government agencies create values for the US economy and has helped the US enter the drone age safely.
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