A.P.: What you need to know about the DJI drone ban in the U.S.

[franklinskite]

Short of forcing DJI to brick the devices, Congress can't ground a drone. They can prevent DJI from being able to certify new products for FCC operation. And they can create a situation where someone calls LEO while you are flying and you could be charged.


GPS satellites just broadcast a signal, they can't restrict who picks up that signal.


If you want to fly one now, get one now. The law has not yet been passed in Congress, it made it out of committee. Once Congress passes it, it goes to the Senate, and then to the President to be signed. I would expect that some group would file a challenge and seek an injunction to prevent the enforcement of the ruling until it has been settled by the courts.

'Congress can't ground a drone.'

You don't know that. Why do you keep posting that? DJI itself reported yesterday:

''If DJI’s FCC authorizations are revoked, U.S. operators would no longer be able to access new DJI drones, and their existing drone fleets may even need to be grounded.'

In this case, what we all need is clarification from DJI and regulators about what may happen. It's a disservice to readers to make blanket statements like your's when we just don't know the answer. I'm sure you're an extremely knowledgable fellow. In this case, you're not helping -- you're providing a disservice in so far as what you're saying may or may not be true. We need clarity, not uninformed supposition.

I have audio equipment that no longer works with current apps. Certainly a drone can be made unworkable.

As for injunctions -- we were through all this with Remote ID. Congress imposes, everyone else salutes and end of story. Unless it's overturned by the courts, which is unlikely, and would take years.

One aspect of DJI's business that no one's mentioning in this forum is that the company is branching out to businesses other than drones. Microphones, cameras, and gimbals. I'm sure they'd want to keep those areas of its business growing in the U.S. if its drones are banned. That means keeping Congress happy.

 

[moldorf]

How would the government restrict or ground DJI drones? Can gps satellites restrict what devices read positioning?
Is it prudent to purchase a DJI drone now or hold off until this gets settled?

have you ever tried to fly your DJI drone when it wasn't signed in to the DJI? They restrict your flight altitude to 30M (above home point) and distance to 50M. This restriction was integrated in the DJI Fly app and couldn't be hacked

so the FCC could require DJI to, at minimum, enforce those restrictions, or ground all their drones thru the fly app

I imagine a hack could be a rouge 3rd party fly app, but with remote ID you'd be risking legal action and the authors of the app would likely be committing a felony...maybe even espionage

 

[Meta4]

You don't know that. Why do you keep posting that?:

You don't know that the alarmist, worst-case scenario that you imagine will happen either.
So why do you keep posting that?

It's most unlikely that anyone is coming for your drone or grounding it, but some here can't help imagining it without any evidence.

 

[moldorf]

You don't know that the alarmist, worst-case scenario that you imagine will happen either.
So why do you keep posting that?

It's most unlikely that anyone is coming for your drone or grounding it, but some here can't help imagining it without any evidence.

can you explain why it's "unlikely"?

we know that this bill passed out of committee unanimously; it's was something like 43-0. We also know that the thrust of enforcement was thru the FCC and would order it to block DJI drones from using the US communication infrastructure. In other words, prohibiting access to wifi/occusync frequencies. I don't think there is any doubt about what the bill in the House intends to accomplish

that would almost certainly compel DJI to shut down drones thru the DJI fly apps. That seems like a pretty simple process. I suppose you could personally block that for a while by putting the controller on airplane mode if you used a 3rd party screen. But if you haven't logged in for 30 days, the app already has a heavily restricted fly mode it will enforce. I think it's limited to 30M altitude and 50M distance

and with Remote ID, there is definitely a method for tracking violations of the law

now maybe there will be a transition period lasting months or years. But that's not guaranteed. I sure don't see any momentum at all for congress to account for the desires of recreational flyers in this witch hunt. It sure looks like this will be law before the end of the congressional year.

 

[TheRock]

Once again, this is being sponsored and pushed by a political candidate who thinks being tough on China/Chinese businesses looks good to her constituents. Study the issue and then vote for someone who will help put this crazy proposal to rest once and for all.

 

[Meta4]

can you explain why it's "unlikely"?

I've already posted that on this thread.

We also know that the thrust of enforcement was thru the FCC and would order it to block DJI drones from using the US communication infrastructure. In other words, prohibiting access to wifi/occusync frequencies. I don't think there is any doubt about what the bill in the House intends to accomplish

I'd disagree with your understanding of infrastructure.
Radio spectrum frequencies aren't infrastructure and trying to prohibit access to radio frequencies would be like prohibiting the tide from coming in.

that would almost certainly compel DJI to shut down drones thru the DJI fly apps.

Again, you are imagining a worst case scenario without any evidence to suggest that's likely.

 

[DoomMeister]

Here is a gift link to that article. It's worth reading if only to see the uphill battle that DJI is facing.

Thanks for posting that using a gift link

 

[TheRock]

I've already posted that on this thread.


I'd disagree with your understanding of infrastructure.
Radio spectrum frequencies aren't infrastructure and trying to prohibit access to radio frequencies would be like prohibiting the tide from coming in.

Again, you are imagining a worst case scenario without any evidence to suggest that's likely.

This bill is already the worst case scenario!! The article I posted here yesterday says this of DJI: "DJI’s outspoken public language in 2024 shows that the move to ban DJI in the United States has picked up steam and it is entirely possible that the Chinese robotics company that made a name for itself on the back of its impressive drone technology could find itself in a worse state than TikTok — outright banned with no recourse." Outright banned with no recourse is my definition of worst case. Please write to people in Congress and Senate and tell them this ban is insanity.

 

[anotherlab]

Once again, this is being sponsored and pushed by a political candidate who thinks being tough on China/Chinese businesses looks good to her constituents. Study the issue and then vote for someone who will help put this crazy proposal to rest once and for all.

The problem is that it has bi-partisan support and it's a presidential election year. If this bill fails, it will fail in the Senate.

 

[Zbip57]

Has anyone ever seen a definitive article posted anywhere (link please) explaining precisely what actually is the threat represented by DJI to national security?

Other than economics, i.e. DJI holds a near-monopoly on the drone industry, the money Americans spend in buying drones from China is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the nearly US$ 1-trillion debt China already holds from the USA.

If you're worried about China knowing where you've flown your drone, you can choose not to upload your flight logs. If you're worried their DJI Fly or Go apps running on your phone are spying on your phone's sensitive data, you could choose to deny your phone access to the internet, run it in airplane mode or use only a dedicated clean phone whenever running their app.

Every article I've seen always says something about how DJI drones could be used to spy on critical infrastructure, but any American-made drone could be used for that too, no? Or they say that China is somehow using their drones to steal images of your children, etc. But why would they need or even want to do that when everyone freely posts those images anyway on Facebook.

What is the actual current threat posed by DJI drones?

 

[msinger]

I directly quoted the article from AP that included that excerpt.

Indeed. It's not the AP's bill though, so I'm not sure their opinion matters.

 

[msinger]

What is the actual current threat posed by DJI drones?

They are too successful for US drone companies to keep up?

 

[TheRock]

The problem is that it has bi-partisan support and it's a presidential election year. If this bill fails, it will fail in the Senate.

Yes, and remember Google's fancy new phones are using Hasselblad glass. DJI owns Hasselblad so good-bye to that promising project too.

 

[anotherlab]

Yes, and remember Google's fancy new phones are using Hasselblad glass. DJI owns Hasselblad to good-bye to that promising project too.

Which Google phones are using Hasselblad lenses? I thought only the OnePlus and Oppo phones were using Hasselblad lenses.

 

[TheRock]

I was having a conversation with a news shooter of 35+ years yesterday and he mentioned the new glass for the Google phone would be Hasselblad and for the first time he may consider moving to a phone as his main news gathering camera. He also mentioned some impressive zoom capabilities. Whether this phone is now out or in future production I don't know. My guess is that it is the proposed Pro 9XL which is supposedly out in October. But if DJI can't operate in the USA then have to get Canon glass or something I guess.

 

[Meta4]

Whether this phone is now out or in future production I don't know. My guess is that it is proposed. But if DJI can't operate in the USA then its moot.

Amid all the imagined doom and gloom it seems that people haven't noticed that the proposed act is titled Countering CCP Drones Act.

 

[TheRock]

Amid all the imagined doom and gloom it seems that people haven't noticed that the proposed act is titled Countering CCP Drones Act.

So it will be OK for Chinese DJI to still sell components of internationally used mini-computers? I think not but you're right, let's get past the drone ban first.

 

[msinger]

So it will be OK for Chinese DJI to still sell components of internationally used mini-computers?

I think so. Well, until your local lawmakers stand to gain money/power from blocking the sale of those items too.

 

[BobbyLashley]

Looks like it's not a good time to buy any drones or drone stuff right now until we know how this ban is going to work out. If the ban goes through then our drones instantly become expensive paperweights.

 

[msinger]

f the ban goes through then our drones instantly become expensive paperweights

That doesn't seem to be the direction the ban is heading according to this video. Lawmakers are apparently attempting to stifle future sales.