The Bundeswehr has banned the use of commercially available Chinese-made drones at barracks and training grounds and has restricted Chinese cars from entering military facilities. The decision was made amid serious concerns about the possible transfer of sensitive data to Chinese intelligence services.
According to Der Spiegel, in recent weeks all units were ordered to stop using previously purchased small drones from major Chinese manufacturers, including DJI. The equipment is being withdrawn from service as quickly as possible. A German Defense Ministry spokesperson confirmed the measure: “Chinese models will no longer be used, and existing systems will be replaced with national or European products.”
The concerns stem from the possibility that the drones could transmit data about exercises, images of barracks and training grounds, as well as information about German weapons systems. According to some reports, Germany’s military counterintelligence service (MAD) found digital traces of possible data exfiltration from drones used by the Bundeswehr. A ban on Chinese drones was already introduced in 2023; however, in 2024, as part of a strategy to expand unmanned capabilities, local commanders were allowed to purchase commercial drones under a simplified procedure without centralized tracking. Estimates put the number at several thousand units.
At the same time, restrictions have been imposed on cars from Chinese brands (including BYD, Geely, NIO and others) entering areas designated as security zones. Lists of banned models are circulating within units. Service members who own such vehicles must leave them outside the facilities and walk in. The reason is the cameras, sensors, radars and data transmission systems that could potentially collect and send sensitive information.
The Defense Ministry stresses that this is not a blanket ban on equipment from specific countries, but rather the result of individual risk assessments for military, IT and data security. The measures are aimed at strengthening the Bundeswehr’s technological sovereignty. Similar restrictions were previously introduced by the United States (on BYD vehicles at Kadena Air Base in Japan) and by Poland.
