US Interior Dept. Grounding Chinese-Made Drones, Will Allow for Emergency Uses

The DJI Phantom 3, a consumer drone, takes flight after it was unveiled at a launch event in Manhattan, New York on April 8, 2015. Adrees Latif/Reuters

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Interior Department is grounding its fleet of about 800 Chinese-made drones but will allow their use for emergency situations, the department said on Jan. 29.

U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt issued an order affirming a temporary cessation of non-emergency operations adopted in October as it ensures “cybersecurity, technology and domestic production concerns are adequately addressed,” the department said.