Tens of millions were spent by the RCMP on Chinese-made drones that pose a “high security” risk and will cost up to $34.1 million to replace, exceeding twice the initial investment, according to a government report.
The internal report presented to the Senate national security committee indicates that 973 drones, making up 79 percent of the RCMP’s 1,228-drone fleet, were manufactured in China.
The Chinese-made units pose significant security risks regarding data management and supply chain integrity, according to the report, which was submitted by RCMP last month and released to the public Nov. 27, as first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.
The RCMP said the drones are deployed under restrictions that the Mounties put in place in June 2023. These include only using local data mode while drones are flying, using offline data storage on police servers, ongoing security checks of the units, and avoiding using them for any sensitive investigations or responses….