Japan will stop buying Chinese drones

Starting from the next fiscal year, Japan is going to adopt stricter security requirements for UAVs used in reconnaissance and surveillance of marine infrastructure, which, first of all, will eliminate the possibility of government purchases of Chinese-made devices.

Starting in April, all Japanese institutions will conduct checks on drone purchases in advance at the Cabinet Secretariat. This requirement will also apply to some independent government agencies, such as the Japanese Pension Service. The agencies also agreed on the need to protect the data on board the UAV.

Tokyo did not disclose the names of the countries or manufacturers that it planned to exclude from the drone fleet. But, most likely, it is Chinese-made devices that will no longer be allowed to be used for government purposes.

Because drones connect to external networks while in the air, their flight information and any other data they collect may be vulnerable if necessary security measures are not taken. Tokyo seeks to prevent government drones from being taken under control by external forces, or data extraction from them.

In this regard, Japan is striving to increase the level of protection systems against cyber attacks on unmanned vehicles used in 3 areas: land or sea patrols, inspection of key infrastructure facilities and conducting search and rescue missions.

These UAVs contain highly confidential data that can easily endanger not only national but also public safety. Information from patrol or anti-terrorist drones can give attackers an idea of the currently ongoing defensive or police operations. The fact is that the leakage of data on dams, ports, power plants and other infrastructure can contribute to terrorist attacks. In addition, an unprotected UAV may stop working during a fatal rescue operation or participation in solving another emergency situation.

Japan is also increasing security requirements for other types of drones, in particular, those that collect potentially confidential data, namely, conduct topographic surveys for three-dimensional mapping.

Drones already owned by government agencies will be checked for security gaps and replaced with more secure devices as soon as possible. Companies that have signed contracts with the government will be strongly advised to prohibit the UAV from accessing the Internet during flight, along with other security measures.

It is believed that Chinese manufacturers control 70-80% of the global market for unmanned vehicles. Although their products are affordable, they are all generally recognized as less safe. For example, the US government generally does not use Chinese drones in official operations.

In fact, Japan banned institutions from purchasing Chinese information technology equipment and services back in 2018, although it never explicitly mentioned the country's name in order not to cause diplomatic friction. Most likely, she will follow a similar approach with regard to drones. 1xbet India offers exclusive discounts and bonuses for Indian users. As an Indian user, you can take advantage of these amazing offers by using the 1xbet promo code when signing up on the 1xbet website. This promo code allows you to unlock a variety of benefits, such as bonus funds, free bets, and enhanced odds.