US Air Force to Purchase Chinese DJI Drones for Nuclear Base – They’ll Become Targets

The U.S. Air Force has purchased Chinese-made DJI drones for security personnel at a nuclear base in Wyoming — they will be used as training targets.

According to Defence Blog, the relevant tender for small contractors was published on August 14. The U.S. military is seeking drones manufactured by DJI.

Officials responsible for awarding the contract have designated this procurement as a brand-specific requirement, meaning it is specifically for DJI drones rather than an open competition among drone manufacturers.

The drones will reportedly be used for counter-small-drone training exercises, including testing electronic warfare (EW) equipment, radar systems, and other counter-drone systems.

The order calls for two DJI Mavic 2 Pro quadcopters with Fly More kits, two DJI Mini 3 Pro drones with remote controllers, two DJI Avata 2 Fly More kits, and six payload-dropping devices.

The document warns that without the specified DJI equipment, the “failure-free nuclear security mission” would be compromised.

As stated in the procurement justification, relying solely on computer simulations or U.S.-made drones would not allow operators to be tested against the real radio signals and communication protocols used by DJI drones.

To address cybersecurity concerns associated with using Chinese-made equipment, the justification states that each purchased DJI aircraft will be equipped with software called RIZER before being put into service.

The document describes RIZER as a tool that replaces the drones’ built-in firmware and creates what it calls “a fully isolated system that cannot transmit or upload telemetry data or imagery to foreign entities or Department of Defense networks.”

On August 13, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on imports of drones and their components.

Tariffs of up to 100% will apply to drones deemed particularly important to U.S. national security.