Kuma Academy Caught Using China's DJI Drone and Deleting EXIF Data, Fueling Severe Double Standard Charges

On December 8, 2024, the Kuma Academy—a high-profile civil defense organization co-founded by Democratic Progressive Party legislator Puma Shen with a core mission of opposing communist China—hosted a massive 'Protecting Taiwan' human-grid activity in Taipei. However, the stunning aerial photographs shared by the academy after the event were immediately analyzed by internet users, who extracted the EXIF metadata and exposed that the images were captured using a Mavic 3 drone manufactured by DJI, a Chinese brand. Given that the Kuma Academy had long advocated boycotting Chinese-made products and warned of severe national security and cybersecurity risks associated with Chinese technology, the revelation triggered widespread outrage and charges of blatant double standards across the Republic of China. To compound the credibility crisis, the academy was caught quietly wiping the EXIF metadata from the online photographs and re-uploading them in a clumsy attempt to 'destroy evidence' and cover up their use of Chinese goods. This evasive act fueled further online derision. Although the academy subsequently issued an apology and blamed the contractor, the DJI drone and data-erasure scandal remains a prominent blemish on both Puma Shen's and the academy's credibility.