‘Not a Chinese military company’…World’s largest drone maker sues US Department of Defence

DJI

It is based in China but the world’s largest drone manufacturing company is making it clear it has no links with the Chinese military. So much so, that it has sued the US Department of Defence (DoD). According to a report by Reuters, DJI, which is the world’s largest drone maker, has filed a lawsuit against US Department of Defence for adding it to the list of companies that work with China’s military. DJI has said that this has caused the company a lot of damage and that the designation is wrong.

In the legal complaint, the company urged a US District Court in Washington to remove its name from the Pentagon list. DJI said that it is “is neither owned nor controlled by the Chinese military.”

DoD had put DJI on the list earlier this year in January. The company is making it clear that DJI “neither the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) nor the Central Military Commission own any stake in DJI, and DJI certainly does not operate under their control.”

The company said that it has made repeated attempts with DoD to understand why it was put on the list.

“DJI has suffered ongoing financial and reputational harm, including lost business, and DJI employees have been stigmatised and harassed,” the Chinese company further argued. Some customers canceled contracts to purchase DJI products, while many more expressed concern about further business dealings with the company, stated DJI.

The company said that it neither designs its products nor permits their use for combat purposes. “DJI prohibits doing business with entities that intend to use DJI products for combat,” the company categorically stated.