Nearly all of the drones owned by Transport Canada are made by a Chinese firm whose products the U.S. Department of the Interior has grounded over concerns they could be used for espionage. 

In January, the U.S. Department of the Interior ordered its drones, made by Shenzhen-based DJI, as well as all others made in China or with Chinese parts, to stay on the ground unless needed to respond to emergencies. Some in Washington were concerned that the fleet of about 800 drones may have been transmitting photography and video back to manufacturers in China, which could be accessed by the Chinese government and then used for spying or cyberattacks. DJI said there was no security risk to using its products.