Last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, sent a letter to U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Chief J. Thomas Manger demanding that the USCP immediately stop using Chinese drones for any and all USCP activities due to their significant national security risk.
“The USCP currently uses several drones made by Autel Robotics, a Chinese drone manufacturer. By using these drones, USCP is directly undermining bipartisan federal efforts to combat the widespread use of Chinese drones in various aspects of American life, including within state and local law enforcement,” Rubio’s office noted.
The letter is below.
Dear Chief Manger:
It was recently revealed that the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) is actively using several drones made by Autel Robotics, a Chinese drone manufacturer whose parent company is the Chinese-based Autel Intelligent Technology, for USCP training activities. In light of this revelation, I write to demand that USCP immediately stop using these drones, as well as all other Chinese drones, for any and all activities by USCP personnel.
As you may know, Chinese drones, including those from Autel Robotics, pose a serious national security threat to the United States, and while this threat persists, Congress continues to approach the issue in a bipartisan manner. However, by using drones from Autel Robotics, USCP is actively undercutting ongoing bipartisan federal efforts to combat the widespread use of Chinese drones in other sectors of American life, including state and local law enforcement.
As such, I request that you immediately disband all of USCP’s drones manufactured or produced by Autel Robotics, as well as any other drones manufactured or produced from China, and replace them with drones that do not pose a national security risk.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.
