German Military Bans Chinese-Made Drones, Including for Training, Over Data Security

The ministry cited data and IT security. Its statement said that "Chinese-made models will no longer be used" and that "existing systems will be replaced by products from domestic or, where applicable, European sources." Der Spiegel, which first reported the decision, said the concern was that the drones could send information on military exercises, training grounds or weapons systems to Chinese intelligence services.

The decision reverses a practice that German media had criticised for more than a year. Low-cost consumer and commercial drones, most of them made in China, have become standard training equipment for armies studying how drones are used in Ukraine. Replacing them with European products will cost more and could take time, but it gives Europe's young drone industry a guaranteed customer.

The ministry said the Bundeswehr had used "inexpensive, off-the-shelf drones for training purposes" and had bought them "with minimal bureaucratic effort." It framed the change as part of a push for self-sufficiency. "To strengthen the Bundeswehr's self-sufficiency and technological sovereignty, Chinese-made models will no longer be used for target or training purposes," the statement said. The ministry did not say how many Chinese drones are in service, what the replacements will cost or when the switch will be complete.

The Chinese drones had been bought under a procurement approach that allowed systems from specific countries to be used. In August, the investigative newsroom CORRECTIV reported that the Bundeswehr had signed a framework contract in November 2024 with supplier Droneparts GmbH for 500 DJI Matrice M30T drones. It also reported that internal Bundeswehr analyses treated the leaking of data to Chinese intelligence as a risk, although no such attack had been proven. A ministry spokesperson had earlier confirmed to CORRECTIV that DJI devices were used for training.

Germany is following allies that have already restricted Chinese drones. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission has moved to block sales and imports of foreign-made drones, a step that hits DJI, the world's largest maker. Several countries have also limited Chinese drones on government and security sites.

The ministry statement did not name DJI or any other manufacturer, and it did not say whether the ban will reach other federal agencies, such as police forces, which also use Chinese drones. For European manufacturers, the open question is how fast the Bundeswehr can buy replacements at a price close to the commercial drones it is retiring.