Germany bans Chinese drones and vehicles in the military

Tengrinews.kz — Germany’s military has banned the use of Chinese drones in barracks and at military training grounds over espionage concerns, a representative of the German Defense Ministry told Der Spiegel. Chinese-made vehicles have also been banned from entering military facilities.

The Bundeswehr has prohibited the use of all small Chinese-made drones at garrisons and training grounds and ordered the withdrawal of drones already purchased, including DJI models.

The systems will be replaced with German or European alternatives, the Defense Ministry representative said.

The German military has also banned vehicles made by Chinese brands, including BYD and Geely, from entering military facilities. Service members have been instructed to leave such vehicles outside security zones and walk to their duty stations.

The measures are linked to concerns that sensors and cameras in Chinese-made equipment could collect classified data and transmit it to Chinese security authorities. According to Der Spiegel, drones could potentially send Chinese intelligence services images of barracks and training grounds, as well as information about military exercises and weapons systems.

European countries began taking such measures after British media reported that Royal Navy reconnaissance sea drones containing Chinese-made components had secretly transmitted information to China.

In late August, Der Spiegel reported, citing experts, that internet-connected electric vehicles from China could potentially be used for espionage through cameras, microphones and sensors. German authorities are assessing the risks.

Demand for electric vehicles in Germany has risen by 80 percent over the past year amid the energy crisis and subsidies, with Chinese manufacturers recording the strongest sales growth.