Navy Drone Spy Cameras Secretly Sent Data to China, Report Says

Britain’s K3 Scout surveillance drones used by Royal Marines allegedly contained Chinese-manufactured camera components that were quietly transmitting data to an IP address in China, according to a report. The routine “heartbeat” signals are typically used to confirm the cameras are on and connected. The Ministry of Defence disabled the cameras’ ability to connect to the internet, while officials said there is currently no proof of access to classified military data or MoD networks. The £12 million drone fleet, supplied by Kraken Technology Group and in service since March, has now raised fresh concerns about China-linked technology in sensitive special-forces equipment. An investigation also flagged possible camera activity even when drones are switched off.