DJI drones might be banned in the US
If you’re in the US and you’ve had your eye on a DJI drone, now might be the time to get one before it becomes much harder. The US government is moving closer to banning DJI drones from sale, a step that could reshape the consumer and commercial drone market. A recent vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened the door for new and possibly retroactive bans on products from companies deemed a national security risk, and DJI is right in the middle of that conversation.
The FCC’s decision was presented as an effort to “secure America’s communication networks against devices determined to pose an unacceptable risk to national security.” In practical terms, it means that future DJI drones, and potentially even current ones that rely on certain wireless components, could soon be barred from import and sale in the United States. This move mirrors earlier actions taken against other Chinese tech firms such as Huawei, and it signals growing mistrust between Washington and Beijing in areas of advanced technology.
The US government has repeatedly labeled DJI a security concern. The argument is that DJI’s drones, widely used for photography, surveying, and public safety, collect large amounts of imagery and location data that could, in theory, be accessed by the Chinese government. Lawmakers have warned that even seemingly harmless hobby drones could provide sensitive geographical information if the data is misused. The concerns are not new, but they’ve gained more traction in recent years as tensions between the US and China have intensified.
DJI, based in Shenzhen, has pushed back against the accusations. Adam Welsh, the company’s head of global policy, told CNET that the FCC’s rule changes do not yet apply to DJI, but the National Defense Authorization Act sets a December deadline that could automatically place DJI on the FCC’s ban list “without any evidence of wrongdoing or the right to appeal.” Welsh added that the company has offered to undergo a formal audit to demonstrate its compliance with US data and security requirements, yet more than ten months have passed without any sign that such a process has begun. He said DJI is urging the government to either start the audit or extend the deadline.
“The US government has every right to strengthen national security measures,” Welsh said, “but this must go hand in hand with due process, fairness, and transparency.” DJI’s position is that it has nothing to hide and would gladly cooperate with a formal review, but the lack of engagement from Washington leaves it vulnerable to a ban by default.
For now, the vote is only the first step in a longer regulatory process. Any specific ban would require further public consultation and must identify which products would be restricted. Still, the groundwork has been laid. The FCC and other agencies now have broader authority to stop imports of drones or related equipment that use technology deemed risky. If no audit takes place by the end of the year, DJI drones could automatically fall under the ban, even without a specific ruling.
If you already own a DJI drone, you don’t need to panic. The potential restrictions would apply only to new sales, not to devices that have already been purchased. You can still fly your existing drone under current rules, although federal agencies are already prohibited from buying or using DJI models. Private and commercial users could continue to operate theirs, but if a ban goes into effect, future support and firmware updates might become more limited, especially if the company loses access to key US services.
