(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration is considering a rule that could limit or ban Chinese drones in the US, the latest in a series of measures aimed at addressing national-security concerns linked to the country’s largest geopolitical rival.
The Commerce Department on Thursday said it’s seeking comments from companies about the possible impact of the proposed rule for drones from China and Russia, with a deadline of March 4 for submissions. That means any decision will ultimately be left to the Trump administration, which takes office on Jan. 20.
The agency cited the concern that the countries could “leverage their political and legal frameworks to co-opt private entities for national interests,” and that those companies have a dominant hold on the supply of drones globally.
“Securing the unmanned aircraft systems technology supply chain is critical to safeguarding our national security,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement on Thursday. The proposed rule “is an essential step in protecting the United States,” she said.
Drones have captured national attention in recent weeks, with people across the eastern US, especially in New Jersey, reporting mysterious sightings. Those incidents prompted federal officials to make the unusual announcement that any such cases don’t pose a threat to national security or to public safety, attributing the sightings to people spotting drones flying lawfully or misidentifying planes and helicopters.
Drones also became a focus for lawmakers in Congress last year, with House Republicans asking the Biden administration to declassify information about risks from the aircraft. Two Chinese firms based in Shenzhen — Da Jiang Innovations (DJI) and Autel Robotics — control about 90% of the worldwide drone market, the lawmakers said.
The Commerce Department has been at the lead of actions to counter China on technology. Last year it unveiled proposed rules that would ban Chinese- and Russian-made hardware and software for connected vehicles. China is one of the leading countries in the world for hacking and cybercrimes, with the US Treasury Department revealing on Monday that it was hacked by a Chinese state-sponsored actor through a third-party software service provider.
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