German military to phase out Chinese-made drones on security grounds
Germany’s defence ministry says it will stop using Chinese-made drones to strengthen self-sufficiency and technological sovereignty, replacing them with European products. The decision follows individual risk assessments and adds to a trend of Western militaries restricting Chinese equipment over da
Germany’s military will stop using Chinese-made drones, a defence ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday, citing security concerns that the equipment could be used to transmit sensitive information to Beijing.
Drones from Chinese manufacturers had previously been permitted as a cost-effective option for target practice and training, the spokesperson said. They will now be replaced with European products.
“To strengthen the Bundeswehr’s self-sufficiency and technological sovereignty, Chinese-made models will no longer be used,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. There is no blanket ban on systems from specific countries, the spokesperson added, saying the decision was based on individual risk assessments aimed at safeguarding military, IT and data security.
Germany’s Der Spiegel news outlet first reported the change. Local commanders had been allowed to purchase the drones under a 2024 strategy that included a “white list” of approved systems, including several made by China-based DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, Spiegel reported.
DJI has repeatedly said its drones do not pose a security risk. In May, the company told US lawmakers that an independent review had found “no evidence of data transmission outside the United States”.
The Chinese embassy in Berlin and China’s commerce and foreign ministries did not immediately return requests for comment.
The move follows similar restrictions by other Western militaries. The US last month prohibited vehicles made by China’s BYD on its air base on Japan’s Okinawa island, and Poland in February banned Chinese-made vehicles from military facilities over concerns their sensors could be used to collect sensitive data.