“U.S. officials have made efforts for nearly a decade to ban popular China-made drones used by government agencies and hobbyists alike, citing national-security concerns. This week, Washington is getting what it wants.
The Federal Communications Commission on Monday banned all drones and critical components made in a foreign country, and all communications and video-surveillance equipment from major Chinese drone manufacturers SZ DJI Technology and Autel Robotics. The designation means the companies, their subsidiaries and partners won't be able to import, market or sell new drone equipment in the U.S.
The FCC decision doesn't cover models currently in stores or already purchased.
The push to outlaw Chinese drones goes back to at least 2017, when the Army ordered soldiers to stop using DJI drones due to cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Washington has over the years flagged risks that China could access data collected by DJI drones and potentially interfere with the drones.
The FCC said that a White House-led group informed the commission on Sunday that drones from foreign countries posed "unacceptable risks," prompting Monday's ban.
DJI has said the company welcomes a national-security review, and that independent reviews, including those from U.S. government bodies, have found its drones are secure.
In a statement, DJI said it was disappointed in the FCC decision and called the ban "contrary to the principles of an open market." Autel didn't respond to a request for comment.
The ban has been met with uproar from swaths of the nearly half a million certified American commercial drone pilots. DJI accounts for around 70% to 90% of commercial, local-government and hobbyist drones in the U.S.
Many pilots are forecasting the demise of their livelihoods that rely on China-made drones for which they say there is no Western replacement.
"I am American-made through and through. I drive a Chevy pickup truck," said Eric Ebert, a Dyer, Ind.-based owner of a construction-site monitoring firm. "But American drones can't compete."” [1]
1. U.S. News: U.S. Bans Foreign Drones In Blow To Hobby. Somerville, Heather. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 23 Dec 2025: A2.
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