A Ukrainian Telegram account this week shared video footage of a Ukrainian soldier using a consumer-grade DJI unmanned aerial vehicle’s camera to monitor missile strikes against Russian forces. The footage shows the soldier holding what looks like a video game controller fitted with a large screen, monitoring a strike.
No information was provided about the location of the strike, or the identity of the soldiers seen in the video. However, the Telegram post praised the use of the consumer-grade technology by Ukrainian soldiers to fight back against invading forces.
“The drone operator monitors the result of the work and corrects the art,” the post reads, per Google Translate.
“It’s nice to see that a person really likes her work,” the post added, referencing the functionality of the drone.
The footage attracted the attention of keen eyes on Twitter, with users noting that the equipment isn’t designed for military use – something that the drone manufacturer also responded to in recent months.
What Is DJI?
DJI, which stands for Da-Jiang Innovations or “Great Frontier Innovations,” is a Chinese technology company that manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles. The drones are specifically designed for aerial videography and photography, allowing users to obtain crystal clear, high-definition and 4K video footage from the air.
The company also specializes in manufacturing stabilizers, flight control systems, and gimbals, making it a world leader in the space. It’s for that reason that both Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have relied heavily on these drones over the last three months for surveillance purposes.
DJI Suspends Sales Over Military Use of Drones
In response to reports that its consumer-grade drones were in use in Ukraine, DJI announced in April that it would suspend all sales to Russia and Ukraine. It came after Russia unsuccessfully requested military support from China, with the Chinese Communist Party left in the awkward position of neither defending nor objecting to the war.
A Ukrainian soldier watching the aftermath of a strike through a DJI UAV.https://t.co/mwSCpJbrGF pic.twitter.com/9MKGIpsZ61
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) June 2, 2022
Ukraine also accused DJI of leaking data on the Ukrainian military to Russia, and was faced with accusations of selling purposely faulty equipment to Ukraine. DJI dismissed the accusations, describing them as “utterly false,” and later announced that sales to the two countries would be halted through the rest of the conflict.
“DJI abhors any use of our drones to cause harm, and we are temporarily suspending sales in these countries in order to help ensure no-one uses our drones in combat,” the company said at the time.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
