Without an official announcement, DJI has quietly ended production of the AeroScope, its drone detection system that has been heavily criticized by Ukraine since the Russian invasion. On the Chinese manufacturer’s product page, a pop-up simply states that the drone is “no longer in production”, seen the edge.
The Chinese company, launched in 2006, has yet to rule on discontinuing AeroScope production. It has not been clarified whether existing devices will still be able to retain their functionality.
Identification of drones in real time
Equipped with a camera and dedicated software, AeroScope can identify other drones in the sky. It analyzes its emitted electronic signals to provide a multitude of information in real time, such as the status of flights or trajectories, DJI explains on its website.
This system was originally designed to address “potential safety and security issues” of sensitive locations, such as “airports, prisons, nuclear power plants,” posed by the development of consumer drones, DJI explains.
A regularly criticized technology
This technology has raised serious concerns, especially since the war in Ukraine. In March 2022, three weeks after the first attacks, Ukraine publicly challenged the manufacturer on the issue. He asked him to disable Russian drones over his territory, claiming that Russia was using these devices to better guide its attacks.
DJI had denied these allegations in Twitter, insisting that its products had initially been designed for civilian use and “do not meet military specifications”. The manufacturer then suspended the sale of its products in Russia and Ukraine starting in April. A ban that is still running, CNBC reported in early February.
Beyond the war in Ukraine, DJI is regularly targeted by the United States. In December 2021, the group was blacklisted, effectively prohibiting US investors from buying or selling shares in the company. He was accused of allowing surveillance of Uyghurs in China.
Source: BFM TV
