US Offering Practical Alternative Vis a Vis Chinese Threat

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“Six of 10 aerial drones used by American state and local law enforcement agencies are Chinese-made,” according to the Heritage Foundation think tank. The Pentagon is now taking steps to supply alternative American-made drones.

As all Chinese companies must share their data with the Chinese Communist Party whenever prompted, and while most US law enforcement agencies use Chinese drones, there are privacy and security concerns that the data collected from the drones could go directly to the Chinese government.

The Pentagon’s “Blue sUAS” program — a culmination of 18 months of work by the Army and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) — has offered a list of five American drone manufacturers that state, local, and federal governments can use through the General Services Administration [GSA] catalog. The program attempts to tailor the best technology from US and allied companies to develop inexpensive, small UAS defined as Group 1 and 2 UAS, which are under 55 pounds for the warfighter.

According to sociable.co, the five American-made drones and manufacturers include Altavian M440C, Parrot ANAFI, Skydio X2, Teal Golden Eagle, Vantage Robotics Vesper.

“A key element of the PRC’s strategy is to provide political, technological, and economic support to those who are willing to turn a blind eye to the PRC’s lucrative deals at the expense of the citizens of developing nations,” US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun said last July.