Senators Introduce Legislation to Combat Threat of Chinese Drones

In a bid to safeguard U.S. security and freedoms, Senators Rick Scott and Mark Warner have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing Chinese drone technologies from infiltrating American communications infrastructure. This initiative, presented as an amendment to the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), responds to growing concerns over the potential for data breaches and espionage linked to drones manufactured in China. Scott emphasized the alarming reality that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could access sensitive information about American citizens and their activities. The proposed legislation, known as the First Responder Secure Drone Program, seeks to allocate $15 million for fiscal year 2025 to bolster security measures against the risks posed by Chinese drones. Scott and Warner previously enacted the American Security Drone Act of 2023, which prohibits federal agencies from purchasing drones produced by Chinese companies. Scott underscored the urgency of passing the new Countering CCP Drones and Supporting Drones for Law Enforcement Act to further mitigate threats from China. Concerns regarding the security of Chinese-manufactured drones have been echoed by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which issued a memo highlighting vulnerabilities tied to these devices. The memo referenced China's National Intelligence Law, which mandates that companies provide data to the government, raising alarms about potential surveillance and data collection on U.S. soil. The Pentagon has already taken steps to address these concerns, adding DJI, a prominent Chinese drone manufacturer, to its list of “Chinese military companies” operating in the United States, reflecting the growing apprehension surrounding the implications of foreign drone technology.