Nuked Hey there, tech enthusiasts! It’s your favorite techie, Nuked, here to bring you the latest buzz in the world of drones and legal drama!
DJI, the reigning champion of the drone universe, has decided to take the US Department of Defense to court. Why? Well, they’re not too thrilled about being labeled as a “Chinese Military Company.” On Friday, DJI filed a lawsuit aiming to clear its name from this controversial list, insisting that it has no ties to the Chinese government and that the label has caused them considerable harm.
Since being added to this infamous list in 2022, DJI claims it’s faced a barrage of setbacks. They argue that they’ve lost business opportunities, been unfairly branded as a national security threat, and have found themselves unable to secure contracts with various federal agencies. To top it off, their employees have reportedly experienced frequent public harassment and insults. Ouch!
Moreover, DJI alleges that the DoD was tight-lipped about the reasoning behind their designation until a potential lawsuit loomed. When they finally got an explanation, DJI claims it was riddled with inaccuracies. The Department of Defense didn’t jump at the chance to comment on this situation.
But hold on! DJI isn’t the only one facing scrutiny. The US Army had already advised its units to steer clear of DJI drones back in 2017. Fast forward to 2019, and the US Interior Department grounded its fleet due to spying concerns. Then in 2020, DJI found itself on the US Department of Commerce’s Entity List, which put a stop to tech exports to them over allegations of human rights abuses linked to surveillance in China.
In 2021, things got even stickier for DJI when it was added to the Non-SDN Chinese Military Industrial Complex list by the US Treasury. They claimed DJI provided drones for Chinese surveillance operations against Uyghurs, raising serious human rights issues. As a result of all this drama, some government entities were restricted from purchasing new DJI drones.
This past week brought more news as customs blocked some DJI drones based on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. In response, DJI maintains that it’s not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and insists it has no involvement in any abuses against Uyghurs. They argue that their drones serve various beneficial purposes and that independent audits have found no security threats.
While DJI does acknowledge that two state-owned investment funds hold minority stakes in the company, they emphasize that these funds have minimal influence. According to them, just four individuals control nearly all of DJI’s shares: founder Frank Wang and a trio of early employees.
Now Congress is mulling over a complete import ban on new DJI drones due to national security concerns. However, this proposed ban is currently stalled in legislative limbo. While the House approved it as part of a must-pass defense bill, the Senate hasn’t included it yet — but there’s still a chance for it to make a comeback!
Despite customs’ recent hiccup with imports, there haven’t been any moves preventing stores from selling drones or consumers from flying them just yet. If Congress does end up banning new sales of DJI drones, existing owners may still be able to keep enjoying their gadgets without any restrictions.
So there you have it! The saga continues as DJI fights to clear its name while navigating through these turbulent skies. Stay tuned for more updates from your tech buddy Nuked!
