Conflict in Israel-Palestine: Israel Allegedly Adapts DJI Commercial Drones for Aerial Bombing and Surveillance in Gaza
Unleashing the Double-edged Sword: Al Jazeera Investigates Israel's Militarization of DJI Drones in Gaza
In a shocking expose by Al Jazeera's Sanad verification agency, it's been uncovered that Israeli military forces have been re-purposing commercial drones - manufactured by Chinese tech giant DJI - for bombing civilians and spying in the Gaza strip.
According to Sanad, drones from DJI have been deployed to strike hospitals, civilian shelters, and even forcing Palestinian prisoners to serve as human shields for Israel's heavily armed soldiers.
Not the First Time for DJI Drones in Conflict
It's no secret that DJI drones have been repurposed for military purposes before, with both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 seeing similar events. At that time, DJI halted all sales to both countries and introduced software modifications to limit the areas where its drones could be used and their altitude.
However, DJI has not put a stop to selling drones in Israel.
Israel's Militarization of DJI Drones
The Israeli military's use of DJI drones isn't new. As early as 2018, DJI drones were extensively used across numerous divisions in the Israeli military. In 2019, during the Great March of Return, Israeli military-trained operators were found using DJI's Matrice 600 model to drop tear gas on unarmed civilians.
What sets this latest development apart is the lethal use of these DJI drones against civilians and protected targets in Gaza.
Despite reaching out to Israeli authorities for comment, Al Jazeera has yet to receive a response.
Tools of War
Sanad has identified several DJI drones that have been modified for military use. The most significant of these is the DJI Agras, designed for agricultural purposes. It's capable of carrying a substantial payload and precision flight, making it ideal for delivering explosives to targets beyond conventional military reach.
The DJI Mavic has been used for reconnaissance and target acquisition, while the compact DJI Avata, built for recreational filming, has been repurposed to navigate and map the intricate tunnel networks beneath Gaza.
Attacks in Northern Gaza
By late 2024, Israel had established a siege in Gaza's northern region, pushing the population to the brink of famine and creating conditions described as "apocalyptic" by United Nations observers. Residents and humanitarian organizations reported an alarming number of civilian drones armed with explosives.
In an incident documented by displaced civilians, footage shared on July 17, 2024, showed a DJI Agras drone dropping a bomb onto the IHH Turkish charity’s building in Jabalia, northern Gaza - less than 100 meters from a school serving as a shelter and aid distribution center.
During November in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, a DJI Agras drone dropped a bomb in a residential neighborhood where civilians had fled after Israeli shelling of a UN-operated school-turned-shelter. Witnesses described the attack as a calculated attempt to instill fear.
Surveillance and Urban Warfare
In addition to direct attacks, Israeli-modified DJI drones have been used extensively for surveillance and tactical operations throughout Gaza. Footage obtained by Al Jazeera Arabic from one Israeli drone shows a DJI Avata assisting in tracking an unnamed Palestinian being used as a human shield by heavily armed Israeli soldiers in the Shujaiya neighborhood in December 2023.
DJI's Double Standards: Gaza vs Ukraine
In 2022, DJI halted sales to both Ukraine and Russia amid complaints from Ukrainian officials about the sharing of critical data with their Russian adversaries. DJI stated, "We will never accept any use of our products to cause harm, and we will continue striving to improve the world with our work."
However, there's been no such response from DJI regarding the allegations of military use of their drones in Gaza. Responding to direct inquiries from Sanad, DJI stated, "Our products are for peaceful and civilian use only, and we absolutely deplore and condemn the use of [DJI] products to cause harm anywhere in the world."
When asked if DJI plans "to halt sales in Israel or implement measures similar to those taken in the Russia-Ukraine conflict," DJI did not respond and has taken no action to halt sales or impose software restrictions on drone usage over Gaza, allowing the continued militarization of their drones by the Israeli military.
[1] Al Jazeera. (2025, May 7). Israel using DJI drones to attack Palestinians in Gaza, investigation reveals. Al Jazeera. [Online]. Available: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/7/israel-using-dji-drones-to-attack-palestinians-in-gaza
[2] Technology Review. (n.d.). Israel Allegedly Repurposing DJI Drones to Carry Bombs. Technology Review. [Online]. Available: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/07/14/israel-allegedly-repurposing-dji-drones-to-carry-bombs/
[3] DJI. (n.d.). DJI and ParaZero Extend Collaboration on Advanced Drone Safety Systems. DJI. [Online]. Available: https://www.dji.com/news/dji-and-parazero-extend-collaboration-on-advanced-drone-safety-systems/
- The shocking expose by Al Jazeera's Sanad verification agency reveals that Israel's military forces have been repurposing DJI drones, manufactured by the Chinese tech giant, for bombing civilians and spying in Gaza.
- The Israeli military's use of DJI drones in Gaza isn't new, with the Israeli military extensively using DJI drones across numerous divisions since at least 2018.
- In 2022, DJI halted all sales to both Ukraine and Russia due to concerns about critical data sharing, but DJI has not put a stop to selling drones in Israel.
- The Israeli military's lethal use of DJI drones against civilians and protected targets in Gaza sets this latest development apart.
- The DJI Agras drone, designed for agricultural purposes, has been modified for military use and used to deliver explosives to targets in Gaza.
- In 2024, Israel had established a siege in Gaza's northern region, pushing the population to the brink of famine, and an alarming number of civilian drones armed with explosives were reported.
- DJI's double standards in dealing with allegations of military use of their drones in Gaza compared to the Russia-Ukraine conflict have sparked controversy, with DJI not taking any action to halt sales or impose software restrictions on drone usage over Gaza.
