U.S. bans new foreign drone models in a blow to Chinese giant DJI

A DJI store is seen in Manhattan, New York City on November 6, 2024. (Jimin Kim/SOPA Images/SIPA via CNN Newsource)

Chinese-made drones have dominated the skies in the United States for years, with private owners, police departments, and firefighters deploying them nationwide. But a new rule by the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday will make it impossible for U.S. consumers to buy the next generation of these drones.

The FCC banned the import and sale of all new drone models and critical equipment made by foreign manufacturers, including the world’s largest drone maker DJI, by adding them into a so-called “Covered List” of entities deemed to “pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.”

The FCC decision, while excluding models already approved for sale and those currently in use, marks a culmination of years-long efforts to clamp down on Chinese drones, such as those produced by DJI and another major drone maker Autel Robotics.

DJI has expressed disappointment over the decision, which could also irk many drone users in the country. DJI alone commands about 70% of the global market, according to data from market research firm Research and Markets. Beyond public sector use, Chinese drones have been widely deployed across the U.S. for tasks including infrastructure and construction inspections, crop monitoring, as well as professional and hobbyist videographers.

In June, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to accelerate the commercialization of drone technologies and scale up domestic drone production “against foreign control or exploitation.”

“President Trump has been clear that his Administration will act to secure our airspace and unleash American drone dominance,” said FCC Chair Brendan Carr on X Monday.

“We do so through an action today that does not disrupt the ongoing use or purchase of previously authorized drones and with appropriate avenues for excluding drones that do not pose a risk,” he added.

The import, sale or use of existing device models the telecom regulator previously authorized will continue to be allowed and consumers can continue to use any drones previously purchased legally, the FCC said.

The announcement this week came after the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress last year mandated a security review of equipment produced by DJI, Autel and other foreign drone makers by December 23, 2025.

Over the past year, DJI has written letters to American officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, welcoming scrutiny and the necessary examinations of its products.

“We stand ready to work with you, to be open and transparent, and provide you with the necessary information to complete a thorough review,” wrote Adam Welsh, DJI’s Head of Global Policy, in his latest letter earlier this month.

But instead of a comprehensive examination the industry and DJI had expected, the FCC said its decision was based on a determination by a White House-convened executive branch interagency body that concluded foreign made drones and components “could enable persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over U.S. territory.”

A DJI spokesperson told CNN Monday that the company is “disappointed” by FCC’s action, saying that “no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination.”

The spokesperson reiterated their commitment to the U.S. market and product safety backed by independent reviewers.

“Concerns about DJI’s data security have not been grounded in evidence and instead reflect protectionism, contrary to the principles of an open market,” the person added.

CNN has reached out to Autel for comment.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, called the FCC listing “discriminatory” on Tuesday, adding that Beijing opposes Washington’s overgeneralization of national security.

“The U.S. should correct its erroneous practices and provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies to operate,” he said.

Multiple Chinese companies, including tech and telecom giant Huawei and state-owned telecom firm ZTE, have already been included in the FCC’s Covered List for similar national security risks.

Long-term concerns

Concerns about Chinese made drones and DJI are not new. As early as 2017, the US Army banned the use of DJI drones due to cybersecurity vulnerabilities. That same year, the Department of Homeland Security warned in an internal memo that Chinese-made drones might be sending sensitive flight data to their manufacturers in China.

In 2020, DJI was placed on the Commerce Department’s economic blacklist, or so called Entity List, for the company’s alleged involvement in human‑rights abuses and high‑technology surveillance against China’s Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang and other minorities. The following year, the U.S. Treasury Department also placed investment restrictions on DJI for similar reasons.

In 2022, the Department of Defense added DJI onto a list of firms allegedly working with China’s People’s Liberation Army. Although DJI has rejected the Pentagon’s characterization and sued for its removal, it lost the court bid in September this year.