Oh boy... we are all flying spy drones! DHS warns of 'strong concerns'

[BigAl07]

Ok gang... we are WAY off topic on this one. Let's reel it in and get back to Drones etc. We're slipping down the rabbit hole and we need to get back on topic.

Allen

 

[Guido Cangelosi]

DHS warns of 'strong concerns' that Chinese-made drones are stealing data | CNN Politics

Chinese-made drones may be sending sensitive flight data to their manufacturers in China, where it can be accessed by the government there, the US Department of Homeland Security warned in an alert issued Monday obtained by CNN.

www-m.cnn.com

If you work in an infrastructure facility, it’s time to also yell “drone!”
View attachment 73017

What telemetry data the Chinese would need that are not readily available in GoogleMap ?

 

[Clipper707]

What telemetry data the Chinese would need that are not readily available in GoogleMap ?

GoogleMap gives a snapshot only. It can tell you what ships were in port on a given day, but not today.

 

[itsneedtokno]

DJI, Huawei, Spying and How They Bamboozled the FAA and American Public

DJI is in the press again about security concerns and has continually been allowed free range access over at the FAA when they were continually warned about security vulnerabilities. DJI has made p…

www.suasnews.com

This is such crap

 

[MavicFT1P]

“A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.”

 

[PropSpin]

DJI, Huawei, Spying and How They Bamboozled the FAA and American Public

DJI is in the press again about security concerns and has continually been allowed free range access over at the FAA when they were continually warned about security vulnerabilities. DJI has made p…

www.suasnews.com

This is such crap

What is crap? Please explain. Who's to know whether you agree with the author and are stating that DJI's behavior is crap or that the article is crap. I would assume the latter. If so, what about the article is "crap".

I think everyone that is dismissive about security risks from DJI, their product, and their involvement in the US are being naive. Rationalizing it as "look at all of the other data collection activities by other IT companies" and "who cares about my pictures/videos" doesn't excuse risk associated with DJI and their products. If I were a foreign government, I would LOVE to have the product deployment and general access into another country that DJI has. It's a no-brainer.

 

[reinerboehme]

Where is the proof for this statement?
As long as I don't have an Internet connection nothing will happen anyway.
Even if they would do it I have no secrets as I move around public space where anyone can do the same thing. Nothing of political interest to anyone.

 

[chadCO]

Facebook steals more data in a second than DJI could in a lifetime.
DJI have been open about changing the software to accommodate the delusional insecurity agency.
I like the fact I now don't need internet to fly the drone.

 

[chadCO]

Maybe it wouldn't be a military so niche that it is not designed to fight any other nation except the USA... Nah... Can't be that!

LOL, then perhaps the USA should quit being the 800 pound rabid gorilla stomping on anything not acquiescing instantly to any whim or demand of its protected corporations.
Then the world will stop building 800 pound gorilla missiles.

Reality is countries government arm against the biggest most dangerous aggressor... and the entire world has.

 

[Slim.slamma]

LOL, then perhaps the USA should quit being the 800 pound rabid gorilla stomping on anything not acquiescing instantly to any whim or demand of its protected corporations.
Then the world will stop building 800 pound gorilla missiles.

Reality is countries government arm against the biggest most dangerous aggressor... and the entire world has.

They can’t handle the truth!
Chill

 

[Lreader]

China is a major spacefaring nation with real spy satellites that far exceeds the capability of google earth or our drone. The whole thing is fear mongering media click bait and our government (they are afraid of us looking at them, not China spying).

 

[MavicMikeK]

The chinese DJI "spy" drones are their low altitude answer to our high altitude spy satellites which have better resolution, better zoom and greater view areas. The data our drones provide shows views of hobbyist residential flights and commercial part 107 flights for whatever purpose they may gain from them. It's a lot cheaper to look at our drone data then it is to put global spy sats around the world that's for sure. The questions to ask ourselves are these... Are we as consumers going to continue to buy DJI drones or are we going to be scared? Are we going to give up drone flying as the FAA tightens it restrictions on hobbyists? Are we going to cower under the possible new tests, license requirements and costs the FAA might impose on hobbyists? I think there's a lot more to worry about than just China watching our flights! There are way to many irresponsible drone operators, they're all over YouTube bragging how far they can fly and showing off their illegally monetized videos from their "hobbyists" drone flights. All these new rules and regulations are a result of progress as the commercial delivery drone industry expands and slowly pushes the hobbyists airspace smaller and smaller. Without the support of our AMA organization to fight for our rights we will continue to lose them.

 

[raymo]

What about Microsoft selling(or just giving) world wide stolen sensitive datas from PCs all over the world to the US government ?
...........

That doesn't count!!!

 

[raymo]

Well if the Chinese are using the drones to spy I hope they see how good my 2019 canola crop looks and start buying our Canadian canola again.?

We Canadians love our canola crops and we better protect those crops from those China, spying eyes.? Maybe it's all about Futures manipulation. Could be a way for the Chinese to dominate the world economy by another method. Someone said in essence that we should be willing to pay to have the opportunity to fly our "toys". I disagree on that principle. It's just another money/control grab on the part of governments. It has been unclear as to what the true risk of amateur UAV flights are all about. People get harmed (and killed) in so many other ways that are completely, and I mean completely uncontrolled. Perhaps there should be an annual license to operate forks, spoons and especially knives. Just sayin'

 

[MavicMikeK]

Well if you trust the Chinese with anything, you must be nuts. I always fly in airplane mode on the tablet, and kill the app after flight. I also don't allow it background data, and NEVER sync flight logs. DJI assistant is a no-go on my laptop. Have you ever looked at the permissions for this APP, it's insane! But hey it's your privacy, do with it what you wish...

That's a smart move flying in ATTI mode unfortunately not everyone can or would risk it because it requires similar skills like flying an RC helicopter. I can do it but it's not as much mindless fun as flying with altitude hold and GPS lock. All drone operators should learn to fly in ATTI mode just to be prepared in case of an emergency loss of GPS.

 

[Air Or]

You think they are going to use Hwuahie and DJI againt us.
Why all the negative energy toward the Chinese lately anyway.
They're a friendly Nation last I checked

Go ahead and read "The Hundred Year Marathon" and then review that statement.

 

[bluntnose]

I have read the entire thread, with all of the detours taken by some to rail on about political topics well beyond the scope of the referenced article. As is our right, right? We are Americans in the land of the free, and we’d like to keep it that way. So, DHS says our drones are capable of transmitting usable intel to DJI, which happens to be located in a country whose friendliness can be fairly questioned. DJI responds with a statement that the users can take steps to cut off worrisome transmissions. I (being a relative neophyte to the drone game) say huh, I wonder how I do that? I can smack DHS around another day. That’s my right. But today I’m most interested in cutting off the flow of anything my government says is usable intel for ANY foreign government. And I still haven’t heard any of my knowledgeable brothers-in-flight tell us neophytes how to do that.

Please?

 

[William Stinessen]

From a different POV (Norway), - the DHS initiative against DJI, - not to mention the ban of Huawei products, - is nothing less than parts of the trade war between USA and China. Sorry for that!

 

[MavicMikeK]

I have read the entire thread, with all of the detours taken by some to rail on about political topics well beyond the scope of the referenced article. As is our right, right? We are Americans in the land of the free, and we’d like to keep it that way. So, DHS says our drones are capable of transmitting usable intel to DJI, which happens to be located in a country whose friendliness can be fairly questioned. DJI responds with a statement that the users can take steps to cut off worrisome transmissions. I (being a relative neophyte to the drone game) say huh, I wonder how I do that? I can smack DHS around another day. That’s my right. But today I’m most interested in cutting off the flow of anything my government says is usable intel for ANY foreign government. And I still haven’t heard any of my knowledgeable brothers-in-flight tell us neophytes how to do that.

Please?

I agree, being a relative neophyte with DJI smart drones as well, the only way I believe to prevent the data is to fly in ATTI mode which doesn't use the sensors and doesn't need the DJI application. Basically fly only using the controller in sport mode. This is not easy for a beginner since it requires advanced RC piloting skills similar to trying to fly an RC helicopter. Another option is to use a dumb drone with barometric sensors for altitude hold and GPS for position hold in wind. Most of these I'm aware of are considered toys because their FPV cams are not gimbal mounted. Prices for these are usually in the $100-$400 range like the SJRC Z series. I have a Z5 and a Z11 and they have zero data tracking and are both nice fun fly drones but lack the stabilized FPV video cams.

 

[MavicMikeK]

From a different POV (Norway), - the DHS initiative against DJI, - not to mention the ban of Huawei products, - is nothing less than parts of the trade war between USA and China. Sorry for that!

Yup I agree, this is all part of the trade war dust. Things are opening up for trade with Japan now, I wonder if they have any decent drones?