British Navy Drone Camera Reportedly Sent Data to China

LONDON - British authorities have reported that cameras attached to the unmanned surface vehicle (drone) of the British Royal Navy reportedly sent data to an IP address in China, according to the newspaper The Telegraph.

The equipment is in the form of a K3 Scout drone supplied by the British defense contractor, Kraken Technology Group. However, the company obtained the camera from a third party that provided security for the device.

According to The Telegraph, the surveillance camera on the drone is equipped with Chinese-made components.

Examination of the drone showed that the camera sent a "system health signal", i.e. data confirming that the device was connected to the network and functioning normally, to an IP address in China.

As reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, Monday, August 10, the British Ministry of Defense then disconnected the device from the internet after finding the violation. However, a ministry spokesperson said the investigation found no evidence that important data had been sent abroad.

According to The Telegraph, the British Navy has been using the equipment since March 2026. The British government has also included the device in a proposed defense package to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Previously, the Chinese Embassy in London told RIA Novosti that a number of parties in the UK had always tried to distort the facts and create a so-called "spying case" to tarnish China's reputation.