Chinese drone-maker DJI suspends ops in Russia, Ukraine

In a first for a major Chinese tech company, drone-maker DJI Technologies announced on Tuesday that it will temporarily suspend business in both Russia and Ukraine. "DJI is internally reassessing compliance requirements in various jurisdictions. Pending the current review, DJI will temporarily suspend all business activities …

[lglethal]

DJI has only ever made products for civilian use; they are not designed for military applications," insisted DJI.

American forces are banned from using its products.

I'm seeing something of a disconnect here...

[SkippyBing]

There are military applications and military applications. i.e. using a drone to observe the fall of artillery is at one end of the spectrum, using one to check for missing tiles on the roof of an accommodation block is another.

DJI doesn't design its products to do the former, the US Armed Forces are banned from using them for the latter.

[Anonymous Coward]

so,

The Ukrainians were actually the ones using DGI drones, and the Russians using DGI drone detection systems. the response from DGI seems a sensible answer. How long before Zelinskey cries about it and demands more?

I wonder if they can disable both remotely?

[Jellied Eel]

Re: so,

Both countries have been strong in aerospace, so neither really need DJI other to order pallets of replacement drones. Other conflicts have shown parties have been quite capable of converting RC or open source drone projects into UAVs.

I guess DJI is a bit resistant to unauthorised modding via it's encryption, so you can't simply transplant it's brain into a body with more power, bigger motors and rotors.

[Danny 2]

Re: so,

A gleeful Ukrainian was on TV describing how they modified hobbyist drones to look like military drones. They'd fly them above Russian soldiers to terrify them into running back to their base, revealing the base location - then shell the base with traditional artillery.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: so,

Hmm.

So I've seen large RC replica aircraft, so I wonder if you could spoof air defences using perspective? Might need some tinfoil origami to spoof say an An-25's RCS, and some heat generators. Then again, any large drone is probably a threat & removing it a good idea.

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazed Orlan-10 is billed at 100k$ USD (Wikipedia states they are even higher at 150k). The tear-down on one of the captured drones you can view on youtube just shows a Canon DLSR with glue on the toggle switch to lock it at 'video' and even bits of the drone held together by duct tape. The whole thing must barely cost 5-6K in materials , the Canon DLSR being the most expensive part - I imagine the rest goes to your super-yacht fund...

[Vulch]

The article is repeating a mis-conception, for your 100 or 150K USD you get a complete *system*, not one drone. The system comprises a control centre, launch rail, five or so actual drones, and a truck to carry everything. Subtract the likely cost of the truck and control centre electronics and the choice of drone components makes more sense.

[Anonymous Coward]

Irrelevant as initiatives like 'eyesonukraine.eu' are giving the Ukrainians all the drones and spare parts they need to continue their very successful drone programs even outside official channels.

The Russians on the other hand...

[Anonymous Coward]

The eyesonukraine (thanks for the info, BTW) drones are tiny and are too small to carry any extra weight. They can only be used for documentation and reconnaissance - which admittedly is a military purpose.

[Mark Exclamation]

For anyone who believes that DJI is not making drones for the Chinese military - I have a bridge for sale, slightly used.

[Anonymous Coward]

I actually believe it. But I also believe that they have a sister company with essentially the same products but a different set of accounts who can service the military needs of whatever friendly country they want.

DJI don't get involved and can claim moral superiority, but "not DJI" can do whatever they want.