US officials ground Chinese-made drones over cybersecurity fears

Just months after it approved them, the US Department of the Interior has grounded its fleet of 810 Chinese-made drones amid fears they could leave sensitive information vulnerable to hacking.
“Drones for non-emergency operations will remain grounded while the Interior Department reviews the possibility of potential threats and ensures a secure, reliable and consistent drone policy that advances our mission while keeping America safe”, Carol Danko, a spokesperson of the department said, confirming the US’ espionage fears.
Danko added some drone operations will continue to be allowed in emergency situations, including search and rescue operations and natural disasters: “We’ve had only 12 drone flights since that time for emergency operations related to fires and floods”.
In October, the drones were temporarily grounded, but the order is now extended. A Pentagon official said that the grounding order does not specifically mention Chinese drones, but “there is an emphasis on Chinese-made drones without question”.
The department also said that the order will remain in effect until it is revoked, and that it does not include an expiration date.