Security News > 2020 > January > Interior Dept. Grounds Drones Over Cybersecurity Concerns

The U.S. Department of the Interior this week announced that it has temporarily grounded all drone operations, except for emergencies, citing concerns over national security and cybersecurity.

The department's order does not specifically mention threats posed by Chinese-made drones, but Gizmodo reports all of the Interior Department's drones are either made in China or are produced with Chinese parts.

"Drone use for non-emergency operations will remain grounded while the Department of the Interior reviews the possibility of threats and ensures a secure, reliable and consistent drone policy that advances our mission while keeping America safe," says Carol Danko, an Interior Department spokesperson.

The Interior Department is the latest federal agency to raise national security and cybersecurity concerns overs drones, especially those devices designed and manufactured in China.

In 2017, for example, the U.S. Army announced it would halt the use of all drones made by China-based DJI and ordered batteries and storage media to be removed and application software to be uninstalled from the drones.

News URL

https://www.inforisktoday.com/interior-dept-grounds-drones-over-cybersecurity-concerns-a-13670