Drones in the Conflict: Israel’s Turn to Chinese Drone Manufacturers for Gaza Reconnaissance

According to reports from Globes and the Mako website, the IDF Army Headquarters Procurement Directorate has placed orders for thousands of multicopter drones from two Chinese manufacturers, DJI and Autel Robotics. These drones, which are dominant in the civilian drone market, are being actively used by the IDF in Gaza for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering since the start of the conflict. This marks a shift to centralized procurement as previously, the drones used were provided as “gifts” by volunteers and organizations.

It’s worth noting that the United States has banned its security forces from using DJI equipment due to information security and cybersecurity concerns. The IDF press office stated that the drones being purchased are selected based on the tasks the IDF needs them to perform, and undergo necessary checks and modifications.

Cheap and affordable Chinese-made drones have become increasingly popular in military conflicts, with their ability to gather intelligence and conduct reconnaissance making them crucial in conflict zones. In addition to Israel, other countries such as Ukraine have also recently purchased a large batch of drones from China for use in their military operations.

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