This Popular Drone Brand Is Now Officially Banned In The US (But There's A Catch)

By Nadeem Sarwar
DJI drone in a store. Cheng Xin/Getty Images

Over the past couple of years, drone-maker DJI has fought against the specter of a looming ban in the U.S. over allegations of a national security threat and its perceived ties to China's defense industrial base. Well, the U.S. government just made a far broader move, one that enforces a blanket ban on foreign-made drones, blocking them from entering the U.S. market. As a result, not only is the sale of DJI's aerial camera gear effectively banned in the U.S., but a handful of fellow brands, as well. Just to make it clear, the existing fleet of drones already in the hands of buyers will not be grounded, but the import of fresh units (and assembly parts) has been halted.

In the wake of the decision, the FCC has put DJI and other drone brands on the Covered List, which already includes names such as Huawei, ZTE, and Kaspersky Lab. When a company is put on the Covered List, it can no longer procure equipment authorization for sale, and as a result, it can't legally hawk their products on U.S. soil. Following the recommendation of an interagency Executive Branch, the U.S. FCC has decided that all unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) manufactured or assembled in a different country pose "unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons." 

To that end, all companies involved in the trade — including China's DJI — are being added to the agency's Covered List. In a notice issued on December 22, the federal agency (PDF) highlighted the Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty Executive Order signed by President Trump. It noted that by mandating the production of drones in the U.S., the government is in a better position to thwart any potential attacks, surveillance risks, and data theft.

What next?

Person holding a DJI drone. photoschmidt/Shutterstock

In a note shared on X, formerly Twitter, FCC chairperson Brendan Carr highlighted that hostile foreign actors have ramped up their efforts to weaponize drone technology, without naming DJI or mentioning any relevant security incidents. DJI's name is also missing from the recent agency communications. Notably, DJI's name popped up on a notice (PDF) issued on December 23 last year, asking the Secretary of Defense to disassemble a DJI drone and assess the security threat, if any, posed by each component. In addition to DJI, the new drone labels that DJI allegedly cooked up will also be blocked following the update to the Entity list.

"While DJI was not singled out, no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination," the company said in a statement shared with DroneXL, adding that the move is disappointing. A company spokesperson told Global Times that the concerns regarding the security threat posed by DJI's product are not based on material evidence, adding that it is exploring options to safeguard its market presence and serve its customers. However, the company hasn't explicitly shared whether it will challenge the decision in court. 

To recall, the company has requested independent security vetting of its products, but the same has been delayed repeatedly. Earlier this month, the company urged the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security to finalize the security review ahead of the December 23 deadline, but that didn't happen. DJI's free trade status in the U.S. was dependent on a security audit, and if that didn't happen, the company would land on the FCC's Covered List. This was followed by two senators asking American construction companies to submit details on their usage of DJI drones when fulfilling government contracts and operating at national security buildings.

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