Chinese Drone-Maker Denies Alleged Ties to Military

Chinese drone-maker Autel Robotics hasn’t received any “inquiries” from U.S. government officials investigating whether the company should be placed on the Entity List, an Autel spokesperson said in a Dec. 1 email. The spokesperson said Autel is “solely dedicated to the development and production of civilian drones,” despite a letter last week to the Biden administration from leaders of the House Select Committee on China saying the company is affiliated with China’s military (see 2312010012). The letter asked the administration to add Autel to the Entity List and subject it to U.S. investment restrictions.

Autel’s products “are explicitly designed for civilian use and are not intended for military purposes,” the spokesperson said. “We want to reiterate that the use of our products to support war is strictly prohibited, and we vehemently oppose any use that violates human rights.”

The lawmakers’ letter also expressed concerns that the Chinese government uses Autel’s technology for human rights abuses in Xinjiang and that the company sells its products to Russia. The Autel spokesperson said those concerns are “unfounded and speculative. We categorically deny any relationship with the Chinese military. These claims are unfounded and without merit.” The person added that Autel complies with “all applicable laws.”