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Last week, +972 Magazine and Local Call published an investigation into the Israeli army’s weaponization of cheap commercial drones to bomb civilians in Gaza. Despite their intended use for photography, these drones have been modified by the army to carry grenades, and can be manually operated by ground troops with joysticks. Soldiers testified that they use the drones to drop grenades with the intent to kill Palestinians — including children — in parts of Gaza that Israel seeks to depopulate, so that others will “learn through blood” to flee the area.
Many of these drones, we revealed, were manufactured by the Chinese company Autel Robotics.
In response to our investigation, Autel said it was “deeply disturbed and gravely concerned” by our findings, but claimed it “has never sold drones to any users in the Israeli region, including but not limited to the Israeli military or Ministry of Defense.” It added: “We categorically reject any implication that Autel Robotics knowingly or negligently enabled the use of our drones in military operations or civilian harm. Any such actions would have occurred without our knowledge, authorization, or consent.”
However, conversations with four Israeli importers of Autel drones, email correspondence included in a legal petition that has been made public, and information from the company’s own website undermine the credibility of Autel’s assertion that it was unaware of sales to the Israeli army and the use of its drones for military purposes.
Contrary to Autel’s initial response to our investigation, the company has for several years sold its products in Israel through various certified local partners. Soon after the current Gaza war began, Autel announced that it had “completely banned all business operations in the ‘Israeli-Palestinian conflict’ region.” But several Israeli companies told +972 and Local Call that they continued buying Autel drones — and, it seems, supplying them to the Israeli military.
“Formally, China doesn’t authorize the sale of drones for military purposes to any place where there is war,” explained Gil Shalev, the owner of O.R.Z Systems, which he described as an official importer of Autel products to Israel. “Informally, [Autel] has its way of allowing it. They leave certain channels through which you can acquire them. The army has thousands of these drones — that’s the proof. The military receives these drones regularly.”
When asked whether Autel is aware of these sales, Shalev responded affirmatively. “Not only that; I provide a warranty [when selling] these drones,” he added, which he said comes from the manufacturer in China. He refused to elaborate on the “informal” way Autel sells drones to O.R.Z Systems, describing it as a “secret.” (Autel rejected Shalev’s claims as “false and malicious,” stating that it has not sold drones to O.R.Z Systems for three years.)
Gad Mor, who works as an importer at the Israeli World of Drones store, told +972 and Local Call that it is possible to purchase Autel’s drones “through dealers from other countries.” Mor explained that he began importing them “because of the demand during the war,” and claimed that the army had managed to override Autel’s own software programming — known as geofencing — that restricted its drones from flying in Israeli airspace.
Last year, long after Autel claimed to have ceased all sales to Israel, the Israeli Defense Ministry published a public tender that sought to procure “Autel drones and related accessories, including payload delivery systems.” The tender winner was required to purchase approximately 2,000 EVO Max drones and 100 Alpha drones directly from Autel for use by the Israeli army. Autel told +972 and Local Call that it was unaware of this tender.
Until last Friday, Autel’s own website listed an Israeli drone importer, LOOLTV, as an “authorized partner” of the company. After +972 and Local Call approached Autel with the findings of our investigation, the company deleted this page from its website. It no longer lists any authorized partners in Israel.
A representative of LOOLTV confirmed to +972 and Local Call that the company is an official Autel supplier in Israel. He said LOOLTV had encouraged the Israeli army to use Autel drones, and that they assisted the army’s internal process for approving their use.
“We introduced the EVOs to the army,” the representative explained, referring to a model of drone manufactured by Autel which, according to testimonies published in last week’s investigation, is being used extensively by soldiers in Gaza. “They fell in love with it,” he added.
LOOLTV’s CEO, David Kaufman, later told +972 and Local Call that the company had stopped importing drones from Autel and other companies in China after October 7 because the Chinese government does not allow the sale of drones to “combat zones.” As a result, Kaufman claimed that he “does not know” how the drones ended up in the hands of soldiers in Gaza today.
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An Autel representative responded that its contract with LOOLTV ended in 2021, and that all subsequent sales of its drones by the Israeli company are considered “unauthorized.” The representative added that the company is considering legal action against LOOLTV.
In response to our latest findings, Autel said it is reviewing its internal oversight mechanisms “to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future,” and emphasized its “strong condemnation of any acts that lead to civilian harm, violate international humanitarian law, or infringe on the rights of innocent individuals.” It added: “Autel Robotics finds it completely unacceptable that our products could even be associated — however inaccurately — with violence against civilians.”
