A bipartisan group of senators asks the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) The US to study consumer drones made by a Chinese company with “deep ties” to the Chinese Communist Party. Senators believe that drones can be used to spy on the country’s critical infrastructure.

Several US companies are now in the process of expanding the use of consumer drones across the US. Companies have different needs: from food delivery to emergency services. But U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Marsha Blackburn said the CISA needed to intervene and reassess the risks associated with drones built by Shenzhen DJI Innovation Technology.

“The widespread use of DJI drones to monitor critical U.S. infrastructure will allow the Chinese Communist Party to create a detailed, regularly updated map of our country’s pipelines, railroads, energy facilities, and waterways,” the senators wrote in a letter to the CISA director.

The CISA said they would not publicly comment on the letter, but would respond directly to the senators. The department also added that CISA had previously published a similar warning. Back in 2019. At the time, the agency raised concerns about all drones made in China without specifically mentioning DJI. However, now, according to the same senators, there are much more concerns and concerns, which is why an urgent and complete analysis of security risks is needed.

In 2021, Reuters reported that DJI controls almost 90% of the consumer drone market in North America and about 70% of the industrial drone market. Perhaps now these numbers are even higher.

“We believe that given DJI’s identified ties to the Chinese Communist Party, the use of its drones in mission-critical industries may represent an unacceptable security vulnerability in the United States. We ask that the CISA evaluate this issue and make the results of its assessment available to the public through the National Cybersecurity Awareness System,” the senators said.

Is the Chinese Communist Party really spying on every major country in the world, or is it just a widespread hysteria that has gained momentum? Be that as it may, US senators and other decision-makers are likely to continue sounding the alarm until only home-made equipment remains in the country.