'Fear of data theft', German army bans use of Chinese-made drones

Germany's military has banned the use of Chinese-made drones, including those used for training purposes. According to the French news agency AFP, this decision was announced by the German Ministry of Defense on Wednesday.

Citing the need for data and information technology (IT) security, the German defense ministry said that "Chinese-made drones will no longer be used." The same statement added that "existing drone systems will be replaced by products manufactured by local or, where possible, European companies." German news magazine Der Spiegel first reported the decision. According to the report, German authorities fear that these drones could transmit information about military exercises, training sites and weapons systems to China's intelligence agencies. "The Bundeswehr (the official name of the German armed forces) has been using low-cost and commercially available drones for training purposes, which were procured with minimal red tape," the Ministry of Defense said. The ministry's statement also said that "to strengthen the Bundeswehr's self-reliance and technological independence, Chinese-made drones will no longer be used for target practice or training purposes."