Chinese drones a security risk

[wco81]

Well, I can imagine why people are worried about the spying for the Chinese.

Indeed the DJI app sends a very great amount of data regarding every flight back to DJI.
This has nothing to do with conspiracy thinking, but it is a fact.
We don't know what DJI, or the Chinese government for that matter, can do (is doing) with the data.

I make sure the phone I use with my controller is in Fly of airplane mode so there is no Internet connection during the start up of the app.

I am never bothered by the app for a Software update either, because of this.
So also no unnecessary restrictions.

Ruudf

WOuldn't it just upload logs and maybe photos if it was spying after it got an Internet connection again?

To be useful, you'd think the drones would have to fly over high-value sites, like military or industrial things that the Chinese might want closer look at than their satellites can provide?

Or are they looking for random pictures of people on beaches, parks and wherever else a given drone pilot may fly?


Maybe if they send spies posing as tourists to fly over key sites, it would be more of a concern.

But Australia depends on trade with China and probably their tourists as well. So don't know, ban DJI and other Chinese brands?

 

[Galeforce1]

There is virtually nothing recorded by the drone, other than the telemetry, that couldn't easily be obtained using Google maps or Earth - unless you fly over a military restricted area. So, I can't see any reason why a company like DJI would bother to gather and analyse photo, videos and GPS data of millions of flights over unrestricted airspace.

When I fly, I use a phone without a SIM card, although I do upload my flight data to Airdata after each flight to check for problems or errors.

 

[Tentoes]

My experience is similar to yours in that I have spent time working in China for large companies there as clients. I saw no political activity,

But THAT doesn't get you media attention that might make your opponent look stupid.

 

[Tentoes]

So perhaps these supposed Chinese spies are using my flight data to see where to not bother targeting a missile?

 

[Oldmanoftheworld]

So perhaps these supposed Chinese spies are using my flight data to see where to not bother targeting a missile?

Lets hope so and they have not notified AliExpress I have two cracked roof tiles....

 

[DanMan32]

It's funny that our flight logs get synced to DJI servers (though this is under user control) and there's no threat of shutdown here in the US, but a social app owned by a Chinese company is under threat of a ban for similar reasons.

 

[Tentoes]

It's funny that our flight logs get synced to DJI servers (though this is under user control) and there's no threat of shutdown here in the US, but a social app owned by a Chinese company is under threat of a ban for similar reasons.

Just journalists and politicians trying to get noticed.

 

[Clipper707]

...companies that are supposedly controlled by the Chinese government... let's just say that their primary concern is making money.

...It is simply American insecurity driving the world into a new Cold War.

Insecure American here.

1. There is no difference between a state-owned company and a private company in Communist China. If the Chinese Communist Party directs a Chinese company to do X, that company does X.

That company's "primary concern" may or may not be a nationalistic one, but in order to keep "making money," it's not in a position to disobey.

2. We (America and China) are currently in a state of cold war. China knows this. Most of America hasn't seemed to recognize it yet.

From the Oxford Dictionary:
a state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures short of open warfare.

 

[Rockport]

I am a British citizen currently living in China. Until a few weeks ago I worked in Beijing at a major state-owned company. I can't say for sure what the Chinese military, intelligence apparatus and senior politicians are thinking, but from meeting fairly senior people at these companies that are supposedly controlled by the Chinese government... let's just say that their primary concern is making money.

Take for example the "debt trap diplomacy" the Western media keeps banging on about. I've been in meetings where these issues were discussed. There is certainly no grand strategy to bankrupt poor countries to force political concessions. The Chinese companies that poured billions into infrastructure projects are absolutely hoping to get their investment repaid. I repeat, they may have communist party oversight, but they are primarily businesses, and like everywhere else, businessmen want to make profit! People defaulting on their debts is not good for business!

American Sinophobia is rather sad and pathetic to be honest. Chinese people just want to get filthy rich and loved Americans until American politicians abandoned all pretense of treating China with any fairness or respect. Especially recently with the pandemic. Having lived in the UK for most of my life, the irony is that culturally, China is probably closer to the US than Western Europe. There is no ideology conflict like in the Cold War with the USSR. It is simply American insecurity driving the world into a new Cold War.

Well since you’re living in China everything you just said is, as you well know, being monitored. So it’s hard to take you seriously. No offense, just logic.

 

[icecoldgin]

Lets hope so and they have not notified AliExpress I have two cracked roof tiles....

They are already manufacturing the replacement roof tiles for you

Watch out for the pop out ad

 

[muchuckwagon]

I‘m not sure what data the Chinese could collect from my drone flights that they can’t harvest from Google satellite or street view images? If the DJI app is pulling data off my phone well then - enjoy! People tend to have an over inflated sense of importance but what is really on your phone?

Okay, while in Vegas a few years ago my buddy (drunk) slipped and said he posed for some “tasteful nudes” that he sent his wife. That has to be the equivalent of bleach in the eyes and might be traumatic enough to force the halt of any data harvesting by the Chinese.

 

[BigAl07]

I'm afraid this thread has MORE than ran it's course.

*** Thread Closed***