Japanese companies ditch Chinese drones over security concerns

NTT and Kyushu Electric weigh homegrown alternatives to protect sensitive data

20210503N Chinese drone

A drone made by China's DJI, which controls more than half of the global market. © Reuters

GEN NAKAMURA, RISA KAWABA and KIU SUGANO, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO/MATSUYAMA, Japan -- Leading Japanese infrastructure companies will end their use of Chinese-made drones, joining in the government's efforts to curb the potential security risks.

There have been concerns that drones made by Chinese companies transmit sensitive data to their manufacturers, and the U.S. essentially blacklisted drone maker DJI last year over national security concerns. While Japanese users are also starting to explore alternatives, a lack of cost-effective homegrown options with comparable capabilities could muddle their efforts.

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