Bundeswehr bans Chinese-made drones and cars from its barracks over spying fears

Germany's armed forces have ordered all units to stop using commercially available drones bought from big Chinese makers such as DJI, Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday. A Defence Ministry spokesperson confirmed the measure and said existing systems would be replaced with German or other European ones.

The concern is that the drones could pass data on exercises, pictures of barracks and training grounds, or details of German weapons to Chinese intelligence. The ministry would not say how many Chinese drones it had bought for training since 2024, citing military security.

Under its 2024 drone strategy, the Bundeswehr kept a white list of shop-bought models that local commanders could buy, including several from DJI such as the Matrice M30T. Insiders estimate that several thousand were bought, and the Military Counterintelligence Service is said to have found forensic evidence of data being sent out from drones the forces had used, according to Der Spiegel.

The Bundeswehr has also listed car models from Chinese makers including BYD, Geely and NIO that may no longer enter secure areas, so soldiers who own them must park outside the barracks.