# DJI Releases Findings of the Most Comprehensive Independent Security Assessment of Its Drone Systems to Date

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/dji-releases-findings-of-the-most-comprehensive-independent-security-assessment-of-its-drone-systems-to-date
- Published: 2026-05-28T19:00:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

_Zero Critical, High, or Medium-Risk Findings Identified Across Five Months of Adversarial
Testing by U.S. Cybersecurity Firm OnDefend of the DJI Air 3S and Matrice 4E_

SHENZHEN, China, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DJI, the world’s leading drone manufacturer,
today released the findings of an independent security assessment conducted by[ ](http://ondefend.com/)
[OnDefend](http://ondefend.com/), a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm trusted by national
security stakeholders and enterprise leaders. The assessment covered the DJI Air
3S with RC 2 controller and the DJI Matrice 4E with RC Plus 2 Enterprise controller,
subjecting both systems to advanced adversarial testing across software, hardware,
and radio frequency domains.

The assessment was authorized by DJI but conducted independently. To preserve the
integrity of the evaluation, consumer units were procured directly from retail outlets
without pre-notification to DJI, and enterprise units were sourced from existing
dealer stock. All tested devices reflect standard U.S. market distribution.

**Key Findings**

The assessment produced zero critical, high, and medium-risk findings. Specifically:

 ◦ **No evidence of data transmission outside the United States was identified.**
   All observed connections from DJI flight control applications resolved to U.S.-
   based infrastructure.
 ◦ **No backdoors or unauthorized remote access mechanisms were found.** Controllers
   resisted all jailbreak and firmware modification attempts.
 ◦ **No unexplained radio frequency emissions were identified.** All detected signals
   were traced to known system functions. Emissions not previously documented in
   FCC filings were confirmed to be standard artifacts of signal generation methods,
   not covert channels.
 ◦ **No supply chain tampering or unauthorized hardware modifications were detected.**

**Low-Risk Findings and Remediation**

Ten low-risk findings and thirteen observations were identified, consistent with
industry norms for complex mobile and embedded systems. They were primarily related
to application security configurations, session handling, and wireless hardening.
None presented a realistic risk to safe drone operation or to widespread exposure
of confidential information. DJI collaborated with OnDefend on potential remediation
during the engagement and is working to address remaining items in subsequent software
releases.

"During the window of testing, OnDefend’s assessment of the Air 3S and Matrice 4E
drone systems identified no clear evidence of hidden backdoors, no data transmissions
outside the United States, and no viable pathways for hijacking or weaponization.
No critical or high-risk findings were observed. To maintain national security assurance,
ongoing testing of firmware, software updates, and verification of hardware and 
chip integrity are recommended for continuous and ongoing validation." — OnDefend
2026 DJI Security Assessment

"This is the most comprehensive independent security assessment ever undertaken 
on our products," said Adam Welsh, Head of Global Policy at DJI. "These findings
confirm what DJI has consistently maintained: our products are secure, our data 
practices are transparent, and the concerns underlying our FCC Covered List designation
are not supported by technical evidence. We commissioned this independent assessment
because we believe facts should inform policy decisions. We are calling on the FCC
to consider these findings carefully as part of our ongoing appeal, and we remain
committed to engaging constructively with relevant authorities."

**What Was Tested and How**

The engagement ran from October 2025 through March 2026 and was structured around
three national security concerns: data sovereignty, hardware vulnerabilities, and
drone manipulation risks.

As part of the independent assessment, OnDefend conducted hardware and firmware 
testing that extended far beyond conventional cybersecurity validation. Leveraging
its proprietary hardware testing technology and capabilities to perform advanced
teardown, RF, and silicon-level analysis designed to identify unauthorized transmission
pathways, covert RF channels, counterfeit components, undocumented modifications,
hidden antennas, and broader supply chain integrity risks.

On the software side, OnDefend conducted static and dynamic application security
testing of the DJI Fly and Pilot 2 applications, full network traffic analysis across
standard and local data mode operation, and adversary simulation including meddler-
in-the-middle attacks, certificate bypass, privilege escalation, and jailbreak attempts.

On the hardware side, the OnDefend team, enabled by their proprietary hardware testing
technology, performed full-spectrum radio frequency scanning from 1 MHz to 6 GHz,
PCB-level hardware teardown and component analysis, supply chain integrity verification,
and RF exploitation testing including replay, jamming, and injection attacks.

**Why OnDefend Was Selected as the Independent Security Inspector**

OnDefend’s offensive security team includes U.S. military and government professionals
with deep operational experience in national security. The firm specializes in[ ](https://ondefend.com/programs/operational-technology-testing/)
[advanced adversarial testing](https://ondefend.com/services/iot-hardware-firmware-security-testing/)
designed to identify national security, supply chain, and technology integrity risks
across software, hardware, and supply chain environments. Its proprietary testing
technology uses AI-driven imaging and silicon-level analysis to identify unauthorized
transmission pathways, counterfeit components, and undocumented hardware modifications,
testing capabilities typically not part of standard hardware security assessments.

**Testing Engagement**

The findings reflect a defined window of testing. As with any point-in-time assessment,
findings are specific to the software, firmware, and hardware versions evaluated
during the engagement period. OnDefend has recommended that continuous independent
validation be conducted as updates are released.

**Context: FCC Covered List Designation**

DJI’s inclusion on the FCC Covered List in December 2025 was not accompanied by 
the identification of a specific, documented security vulnerability. DJI has appealed
this designation and has consistently requested a transparent, evidence-based technical
review.

DJI drones are widely used across public safety, agriculture, infrastructure, and
creative industries in the United States. Restrictions on access to its technology
would have downstream impacts on operational capability, business continuity, and
cost structures for users across these sectors:

 ◦ More than 80%^([1]) of the 1,800-plus state and local law enforcement agencies
   that use drones rely on DJI for search and rescue, accident reconstruction, crime
   scene documentation, and tactical overwatch.
 ◦ 43% of drone business users believe they would face an extremely negative or 
   business-ending impact from DJI restrictions^([2]).
 ◦ DJI is the industry standard for aerial cinematography, news gathering, and documentary
   production.

For more information on this audit, read the [executive summary](https://terra-1-g.djicdn.com/851d20f7b9f64838a34cd02351370894/OnDefend/DJI%20Technology%20Inc.%20-%20Security%20Assessment%20-%20Executive%20Report.pdf)
and visit the[ ](https://www.dji.com/trust-center)[DJI Trust Center](https://www.dji.com/trust-center)
to learn more about DJI’s continued investments in product security and independent
validation.

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^([1])  DJI. [Letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem](https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2025/12/Letter-to-DHS-from-DJI_Dec-2025.pdf). December 2025.

  |  
 |

^([2])  Pilot Institute. [The Effect of Banning Affordable UAS in the United States](https://hub.pilotinstitute.com/dji-regulations-white-paper-landing). December 2025.

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