Army devising method to check Chinese components in drones

Amid threats to data generated by electronics on board strategic military equipment, an appropriate methodology is being devised to weed out any components of Chinese-origin being used in new age technologies.

The Ministry of Defence reportedly found that some drones, supplied to the armed forces by domestic firms, had Chinese components. The Department of Defence Production (DDP) sent a letter to industry bodies, asking them to ‘caution’ manufacturers from procuring items from companies using Chinese spare parts for making drones.

Major General CS Mann, Additional Director General, Army Design Bureau, on Wednesday said the Army was examining methods to weed out Chinese parts. When asked about these methods, he said, “an appropriate methodology will be adopted” as having Chinese parts implied that the data could be transferred illegally.

Meanwhile, 25 companies will participate in the Army’s ‘Him-Drone’ event at an altitude of 15,200 feet at Wari-La, south-east of Leh, on September 17 and 18. “We will be testing the drones’ ability to take off and perform at high altitude as the rarified atmosphere results in reduced lift for the drone and reduces engine performance,” Major General Mann said.