20240611 Austin Fire Department Capt. DJI

The Austin Fire Department in Texas demonstrates a DJI Inspire 1 drone. The use of drones by police, fire and other emergency response departments across the U.S. has skyrocketed. © AP

DJI to the rescue? U.S. police want China drones despite Washington clampdown

Lawmakers take aim at devices used by many first responders

MARRIAN ZHOU and YIFAN YU, Nikkei staff writers

June 14, 2024 06:00 JST

NEW YORK/PALO ALTO, California -- The first drone that Kentucky's Hardin County sheriffs used was a DJI Matrice 300. A local agriculture cooperative donated the Chinese-made device in 2021 to help officers track down teenagers who destroyed crops on a farm covering hundreds of acres.

While officers on foot were always just a few steps behind, the drone was able to find and capture images of the culprits in minutes.