Lawmakers Express Alarm About China's Drones Detected Flying Over Washington DC's Restricted Airspace

Alarmingly, more drones are flying past restricted zones near the Capitol in Washington, DC, according to national security authorities.

Drones, which are virtually solely made in China, have grown to be a significant threat to national security and public safety.

Drones Over Washington Pose Spy Threat From China

Government representatives and legislators do not think that the drones are linked to any foreign governments or attempts to undermine the security of the US Capitol. However, when consumer electronics develop further, the effects of the quickly expanding technology might become problematic, Fox News reported.

One of the most well-known drone manufacturers, DJI, requires its customers to download proprietary software and gives users access to their own mapping databases that might potentially be watched remotely.

But DJI has already been charged of maintaining a tight relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. Every enterprise must continue to employ communist party members in order for them to "firmly listen to the party and follow the party," according to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Beijing also has a direct investment in the drone business and has significant control over its management. In December of last year, the US authorities placed DJI on a Treasury blacklist. According to Politico, national security authorities are concerned that this might develop into a new method of foreign espionage, and Congress has received confidential briefings on the subject.

The authorities claimed they do not think the Chinese government is controlling the drones but are concerned that this is a potential use of aerial technology. The Pentagon said in July 2021 that DJI Technology systems "offer possible dangers to national security."

The inclusion of DJI by the Department of Defense on a list of companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military in October opened the door for the imposition of penalties.

US-China Relationship

Although DJI takes an attempt to guarantee consumers abide by the law, a spokesperson for the company told Politico that "we can't control the end users' conduct."

All commercial drones that utilize GPS for navigation are made to be unable to fly in the restricted airspace around Washington, DC. However, there are a number of videos online that demonstrate how to control the drone and allow it to fly in prohibited areas.

Federal agencies briefed senators on the subject in a classified setting on the Senate Homeland Security, Commerce, and Intelligence committees.

"They are made in China or by a Chinese firm, but a non-Chinese company that repackages them will put a tag on them so you won't even know you're purchasing them," according to Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, vice head of the Intelligence Committee.

However, "everything technical has the potential to have inbuilt vulnerabilities that may be exploited at any time, whether in the software or the physical hardware."

Chinese-American ties are now strained. Beijing has come under fire from President Joe Biden for attempting to become a major economic power. The efforts of his administration are aimed at reducing Beijing's growing global influence, as per Daily Mail.