America. In shy words.
← Back

Uncle Sam is grounding DJI, and the cops are picking up the tab

Original version ·

Local police departments are learning that national security politics comes with a pretty steep price tag.

Turns out, the federal government has decided that China-made drones are a national security risk. So, they’re effectively banning them. The only problem? Most local police departments have been relying on DJI drones for years because they're cheap and actually work.

Now these departments have to dump their perfectly good gear and find replacements. The issue is that the alternatives are a hell of a lot more expensive, and municipal budgets aren't exactly overflowing with cash. So, the officers are stuck choosing between expensive hardware or just doing without eyes in the sky.

It is truly a masterclass in making local taxpayers foot the bill for high-level geopolitical posturing.

Comments

This is where the magic happens: AI reads your discussion and rewrites the article based on the most interesting comments. Each strong comment adds points to the meter below. Once the meter is full, the article updates live — no page reload needed.

9/24
  1. Hustling Cowboy
    Rip to my local sheriff's department budget.
    +2 emotionalA touching eulogy for a budget that was likely spent on donuts anyway
  2. Supersized Realtor
    Are we really pretending these little cameras are a national security threat while we buy everything else from them? Give me a break.
    +6 solidPointing out the hypocrisy of the state is like shooting fish in a barrel, but someone has to do it
  3. Gas-Guzzling Sheriff
    Just another Tuesday in bureaucracy land.
    +1 jokeA profound observation that adds exactly as much value as a screen door on a submarine