More than a year after the U.S. Interior Department grounded hundreds of Chinese-made drones it was using to track wildfires and monitor dams and wildlife, the future of drone use by the federal government remains uncertain. Legislation moving through Congress would block the U.S. government from buying using drones made in China. That could limit drone flights used to track wildfires and monitor dams, volcanoes and wildlife. Local police departments that receive federal funds to field new equipment could also be hit. The leading Chinese drone maker, DJI, says it has added new safety measures that should reassure U.S. customers.
