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Germany’s military has banned commercially available Chinese-made drones and imposed restrictions on Chinese-made vehicles entering military facilities over concerns that sensitive data could be transmitted to Chinese authorities, Der Spiegel reported Tuesday.
According to the German news magazine, the Bundeswehr recently ordered an immediate halt to the use of commercially available drones from major Chinese manufacturers, including DJI, across barracks and training grounds.
The German Defense Ministry confirmed the measure, with a spokesperson saying Chinese-made drones would no longer be used and existing systems would be replaced with products from Germany or other European countries.
Officials fear the drones could transmit information about military exercises, images of barracks and training areas or details about German weapons systems.
The Defense Ministry declined to say how many Chinese-made drones had been purchased for training since 2024, citing military security.
Local commanders had been allowed in recent years to acquire commercially available systems with limited bureaucratic requirements.
As part of its 2024 drone strategy, the Bundeswehr created a list of approved commercially available models that included several DJI products.
Insiders cited by Der Spiegel estimated that military units nationwide acquired several thousand such drones, including DJI’s Matrice M30T.
There was no centralized system tracking which units had bought which models, prompting the military to impose a blanket ban, according to the report.
Chinese-made drones had been used for introductory training for prospective drone pilots and, in some cases, as practice targets for counter-drone systems.
Security concerns over the systems had been debated within the Bundeswehr for months.
Der Spiegel reported that Western intelligence analysts suspect Chinese drones may contain technology capable of transmitting data and images to Chinese security authorities.
The report said the Military Counterintelligence Service, known as MAD, was also believed to have found forensic indications of data “exfiltration” while examining drones used by the Bundeswehr.
It remains unclear whether Chinese-made drones have actually been used to collect sensitive German military information.
The Bundeswehr has also restricted Chinese-made vehicles from entering secure areas of military barracks and other facilities, Der Spiegel reported.
Lists circulating within the military reportedly identify models from Chinese manufacturers, including BYD, Geely and NIO, that are barred from secure zones.
Soldiers who own affected vehicles must park outside military facilities and enter on foot.
The restrictions are based on concerns that cameras and sensors installed in the vehicles could record sensitive information and transmit it to Chinese security agencies.
Der Spiegel cited a recent incident in Norway, where the armed forces found during the “Hovedstad” homeland defense exercise that Chinese-made rental vehicles had recorded information, including security checks at the entrance to a military camp.
The exercise, held from Sept. 14-18, involved about 5,000 soldiers.
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