Israel’s military is using commercial drones designed for farming and filming, to carry out attacks and surveillance in Gaza, according to an investigation by Al Jazeera’s Sanad verification agency.
The investigation found that drones developed by Chinese technology company DJI such as Agras, Mavic, and Avata, have been modified for military operations.
The DJI Agras, typically used for crop spraying, can carry heavy payloads and fly with high precision.
Introducing the DJI AGRAS T50. It has a 40 kg spraying and 50 kg spreading capacity, a spraying max flow rate of 24 L/min, and is ideal for heavy-duty agricultural operations that require precision and accuracy.
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/kPc9eJxECz pic.twitter.com/7vuKphbMst
— DJI (@DJIGlobal) April 25, 2024
Sanad noted that on July 17, 2024, a DJI Agras dropped a bomb on the IHH Turkish charity’s building in Jabalia, located just 330 feet from a school sheltering displaced people. In Gaza, it has been employed to drop bombs, with confirmed attacks on civilian targets.
The report further noted that the DJI Mavic, designed for photography and videography, is reportedly being used for reconnaissance, while the Avata, intended for similar purposes, has been deployed to explore tunnels beneath Gaza.
In a December 2023 video, a DJI Avata was seen tracking a Palestinian prisoner coerced into clearing a school in Shujaiya for Israeli troops, an action that violates international law.
“We absolutely deplore and condemn the use of [DJI] products to cause harm,” DJI stated.
Despite these findings, DJI has not taken steps to restrict the sale or use of its drones in Gaza, as it did in 2022 for Russia and Ukraine. Israel has yet to respond to the findings.
