Israel retrofitting DJI commercial drones to bomb and surveil Gaza
aljazeera.comPublished: 5/8/2025
Summary
The Israeli military has been repurposing DJI drones for devastating attacks on civilians and protected targets in Gaza, including hospitals, shelters, and prisoners. These modifications involve adding explosive payloads and using different drone models suited for surveillance and combat, leading to significant civilian casualties. This misuse is unprecedented, with historical precedents during the Russia-Ukraine conflict but no prior actions against such practices by DJI in Israel or Ukraine despite warnings. Despite this, DJI has not halted sales to Israel or imposed further restrictions on drone operations over Gaza, highlighting a notable double standard.