Tel Aviv: The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are minimising the use of Chinese drones as they pose a danger of data leaking to the enemy. Israel has shared information about this suspicious vulnerability with NATO members.
During the months of the war, Hamas released propaganda videos in which it can be clearly seen how it managed to gather information about the forces in Gaza through Chinese drones operated by the IDF. The army has minimised the use of these drones and limited it to what is defined as “safe use”.
After banning Chinese-made cars from entering certain bases of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) last year, the IDF decided that Chinese-made cars will be no more used by officers and therefore will be sold on the market.
The problem posed by the low-cost Chinese-made drones centres on potential data vulnerabilities, geopolitical dependencies, and espionage risks tied to China’s national security laws. European institutions and member states are actively addressing these through restrictions and policy discussions.
Chinese drones used by EU security, enforcement and emergency services face vulnerabilities like data exfiltration and telemetry misuse, as highlighted in analyses from Ruhr University, Bochum and national warnings. China’s laws compel companies to share data with the state, raising fears of access to sensitive geodata, images, and flight logs routed through Chinese servers. Europe’s heavy reliance on these drones for defence and critical infrastructure amplifies supplier-dependence risks amid China’s ties to Russia.
Several member states, including Lithuania and the Netherlands, have restricted Chinese drones in defence and public security sectors. Germany explores alternatives from Taiwan.
EU sanctions target Chinese firms supplying drone parts to Russia, with warnings of further “consequences” for military-grade drone production. Incidents of unauthorised drones over European airports and infrastructure—suspected as Russian hybrid tactics—underscore the urgency for counter-drone systems and reduced Chinese dependencies.
Israeli senior Cyber expert, Guy Mizrahi told Raksha Anirveda that the danger is clear and imminent.
“When a Chinese drone is operated, it collects data from the operational environment and transfers it to someone in China. It collects locations, operational schedules and even audio and video. The IDF’s decision is based on solid, proven facts,” Mizrahi added.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
