11/26/2022
RawNews1st – A surge in drone activity in restricted airspace over sites such as the White House, the Capitol and the Pentagon in Washington has U.S. officials concerned about possible Chinese espionage, Politico reported Wednesday.
Hundreds of Chinese-made drones have been detected in D.C. no-fly zones in recent months, according to the report.
The Senate Homeland Security, Commerce and Intelligence committees have been briefed on the alarming situation by U.S. officials and drone industry experts, according to Politico, which cited “three people privy to the meetings.”
The Chinese company DJI is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial drones, with more than 75 percent of the market, according to Asia Perspective.
“Everybody is very concerned and trying to figure out what to do,” a government contractor who has helped to collect drone data for federal authorities told the outlet.
Recreational drones that have GPS capabilities are built with a technology referred to as geofencing that is supposed to prevent them from functioning within restricted airspace.
However, those software restrictions can be easily bypassed.
“Any technological product with origins in China or Chinese companies holds a real risk and potential of vulnerability that can be exploited both now and in a time of conflict,” Rubio, vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said, according to Politico.
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