The U.S. Department of Commerce has called off its planned…

(Image credit: DJI)

The U.S. Department of Commerce has stated that it is withdrawing its proposal to the White House to ban the import of Chinese drones into the country. According to Reuters, this move comes amid the thawing of relations between the United States and China, ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in April of this year. This might sound like good news for the beleaguered drone maker, but it seems that the FCC ban on brand new foreign-made drones still stands.

The Commerce Department has previously recommended restricting the import of Chinese-made drones, submitting the plan to do so to the White House in October. While the agency has already retracted its proposal, the company is still not in the clear when it comes to its future. That’s because while it may seem that the Department of Commerce and FCC bans are one and the same, they are actually different restrictions. The Commerce ban focuses on the import of these drones, while the FCC is preventing the company from receiving equipment authorization. Even though the latter does not necessarily control the import of these devices, FCC certification is still a requirement before they can enter the United States.

Aside from moves by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Commerce, other agencies and government branches are also taking action against DJI. The Department of Defense has labeled it as a “Chinese Military Company,” with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia siding with the U.S. Agency, despite the court saying that it “affirmatively rejected most of DoD’s allegations” and that there is “no basis” for the claim “that DJI is owned or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.” Congress has also taken steps to ban the company in 2024, although it was able to get a one-year extension to prove that it does not pose a national security risk.

All the recent moves will not affect current and existing drones, so DJI owners don’t need to worry that their drones will stop working. However, it will prevent the company from bringing in and selling new products in the U.S., including components, meaning users won’t be able to maintain and replace their drones.

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3 Comments Comment from the forums

bit_user

Ultimately, what we need for securing drones, robots, IoT devices, etc. Is to move beyond a security model based on country-of-origin. Even while it can address some potential security threats, there are too many other security issues it can't.
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Joachim324

Im sorry but my DJI drone sitting in my backpack I take on nature hikes is not a security threat. The whole argument that the US gov't is making is beyond logic and common sense. Any GPS coordinates or video footage I capture is already common knowledge and publicly available courtesy of Google Earth. Please explain to me how a DJI video transmitter and camera I use to build my drones is a security threat? There is no networking capability of these devices on top of it all.
Reply
bolweval

Joachim324 said:
Im sorry but my DJI drone sitting in my backpack I take on nature hikes is not a security threat. The whole argument that the US gov't is making is beyond logic and common sense. Any GPS coordinates or video footage I capture is already common knowledge and publicly available courtesy of Google Earth. Please explain to me how a DJI video transmitter and camera I use to build my drones is a security threat? There is no networking capability of these devices on top of it all.
Are you controlling your drone with your phone and DJI's app?
Reply