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

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

That video expresses nothing but bad news for the ban. If the ban goes through, DJI won't have any sales period. This is why I am holding off on buying a new drone. I don't want the thing becoming useless and worthless after dropping a good chunk of money on it.
 
If the ban goes through, DJI won't have any sales period.
Any sales throughout the entire world? That's pretty unlikely assuming other countries don't follow suit. DJI is too big of a company to close up shop and call it quits.

Here's to hoping the members of this forum and beyond don't just sit around and watch their lawmakers line their pockets. At the least, go here and make your voice heard.
 
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That video expresses nothing but bad news for the ban. If the ban goes through, DJI won't have any sales period. This is why I am holding off on buying a new drone. I don't want the thing becoming useless and worthless after dropping a good chunk of money on it.
It looks like you aren't even based in the US.
It's hard to see what you are worried about.
 
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.
While none of the Pixel 9 specs have been released, none of the usual suspects have mentioned anything about Hasselblad lens being used. What appears to be in the 9 Pro XL is a new version of the Tensor chip, the Tensor G4. And probably an updated version of the Sony Isocell sensor from the Pixel 8.

I don't think the zoom will be higher than what the Pixel 8 has, 5X optical.
 
The disruption will be nearly catastrophic and perhaps crippling. Does anyone else have an example of a product that is banned in America but sold elsewhere around the world *and* it thrives? Maybe there's a computer or a mobile phone or a vehicle or a dslr camera or a microphone or a television or a watch or speakers or similar consumer electronic that everybody loves and everybody wants and everyone kinda has one, except Americans....what is it? If the USA tap is abruptly shut off, DJI will go spiraling unless the CCP saves them.
 
A product banned which subsequently thrives? I can cite one perfect example absolutely peculiar to America... Imported booze during the prohibition era. And while the continental U.S may well be a big old single marketplace, I might respectfully remind you that the rest of the world is bigger still and presently unencumbered by paranoid politicians (note the word 'presently').

What really tickles me about their rhetoric is that it is patently obvious that the anti-DJI froth in the corners of their mouths has nothing to do with evil china data-mining crucial classified information, if it did: pretty much 90% of the manufacturers of mobile comms tech in the hands of Joe and Josephine Average would be facing the same all-American sledgehammer that hit TikTok.

In Britain during the second world war, it was a criminal offense for anyone with a foreign accent to have a camera or take pictures of the landscape, now literally 99% of the worlds population have the digital equivalent glued to their hands everywhere they go broadcasting live, coarse GPS accurate video data of them, their surroundings and their habits, so DJI's drones would represent a really small drop in a very big ocean of image intelligence zipping through the internet aether.... what's being done about THAT massive breach of national security? errrm.... nothing.

I think these Bills are all smoke and mirrors and the reality will end up coming into focus when Frank Wang gets the same TikTok ultimatum: sell to a U.S company or be banned.
 
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I think this Bill is all smoke and mirrors and the reality will end up coming into focus when Frank Wang gets the same TikTok ultimatum: sell to a U.S company or be banned.
You do realize that there are 2 bills currently - right? One in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. They have different approaches and it appears many here are conflating the two bills.

In the House bill, there is a 5 year plan to raise the tariffs on DJI drones from the current 25% to 50%. The increased 25% will supposedly help first responders but new, more expensive US-made drones (that currently do not exist). Only after that period would DJI drones be banned. One must ask, if the security of the country is at stake, why wait 5 years. Clearly there is another motive - Stefanik is pushing to be Trump’s VP choice. This is how she, in her mind, proves her bona fides.

The Senate bill is a bit more immediate and broader. First it addresses all Chinese drones. Secondly, it seeks the FCC actions to prohibit new drone sales and possibly rescind existing approvals. It is unclear where this will end up as the legislation is still in bill form and subject to negotiated changes.

Given that both houses of Congress have “complimentary” bills in play, it is reasonably foreseeable that they will scratch each other’s backs and pass both. Or sanity could intervene and quash both bills. Only time will tell.
 
You do realize that there are 2 bills currently - right? One in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. They have different approaches and it appears many here are conflating the two bills.

In the House bill, there is a 5 year plan to raise the tariffs on DJI drones from the current 25% to 50%. The increased 25% will supposedly help first responders but new, more expensive US-made drones (that currently do not exist). Only after that period would DJI drones be banned. One must ask, if the security of the country is at stake, why wait 5 years. Clearly there is another motive - Stefanik is pushing to be Trump’s VP choice. This is how she, in her mind, proves her bona fides.

The Senate bill is a bit more immediate and broader. First it addresses all Chinese drones. Secondly, it seeks the FCC actions to prohibit new drone sales and possibly rescind existing approvals. It is unclear where this will end up as the legislation is still in bill form and subject to negotiated changes.

Given that both houses of Congress have “complimentary” bills in play, it is reasonably foreseeable that they will scratch each other’s backs and pass both. Or sanity could intervene and quash both bills. Only time will tell.
**corrected accordingly, although the difference between their stated end-goal is negligible.
 
Maybe is a good thing. Too much telemetry going to dji and to many restrictions.
Maybe you know nothing about the topic.
You are pushing the same unfounded misinformation that's behind the proposed bill.
No telemetry, images, videos or anything else goes to DJI, unless you choose to synch your flight data.
But there's nothing in your flight data that's a security issue anyway.

How is it a good thing?
 
The disruption will be nearly catastrophic and perhaps crippling. Does anyone else have an example of a product that is banned in America but sold elsewhere around the world *and* it thrives? Maybe there's a computer or a mobile phone or a vehicle or a dslr camera or a microphone or a television or a watch or speakers or similar consumer electronic that everybody loves and everybody wants and everyone kinda has one, except Americans....what is it? If the USA tap is abruptly shut off, DJI will go spiraling unless the CCP saves them.
If these Bills are passed into Law, everybody loses, I mean everybody including State Governments, they will lose tax revenue big time !
 
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There is a solution for a continuing source of DJI designed drones, even in the event of a US ban of DJI manufactured drones.

A likely scenario would be for DJI to licence its schematics, and software to manufacturers outside of China, including perhaps even some in the US.

In this case, the drones continue to be made
with DJI designed electronics and software, so all that changes is the brand name, and who you call for help. (reliability could vary as well)

As long as DJI doesn't own the manufacturer, the proposed bill will not stop DJI technology going forward.

It is true that a future bill could be written to bar the use in this country of drones utilizing DJI technology, but that has not been proposed and may never be.
 
There is a solution for a continuing source of DJI designed drones, even in the event of a US ban of DJI manufactured drones.

A likely scenario would be for DJI to licence its schematics, and software to manufacturers outside of China, including perhaps even some in the US.

In this case, the drones continue to be made
with DJI designed electronics and software, so all that changes is the brand name, and who you call for help. (reliability could vary as well)

IANAL, but that would probably not be allowed by H.R. 2864 aka "Countering CCP Drones Act".

“(A) telecommunications or video surveillance equipment produced by Shenzhen Da-Jiang Innovations Sciences and Technologies Company Limited (commonly known as ‘DJI Technologies’) (or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof); or
“(B) telecommunications or video surveillance services, including software, provided by an entity described in subparagraph (A) or using equipment described in such subparagraph.”.

The "or affiliate thereof" could be applied to companies licensing the DJI designs as well as companies using hardware made by DJI.

It's gone beyond the "likely scenario" point. Anzu Robotics has a drone based on the Mavic 3 Enterprise platform with Aloft providing the flight controller app.

As long as DJI doesn't own the manufacturer, the proposed bill will not stop DJI technology going forward.

It is true that a future bill could be written to bar the use in this country of drones utilizing DJI technology, but that has not been proposed and may never be.

Rep. Stefanik has already gone on record to say this wouldn't be allowed.

“This desperate attempt to evade tariffs and sanctions is futile,” Ms. Stefanik said. “DJI and all of its shell companies will be held accountable.”

[Edited to fix the name of the company]
 
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It's gone beyond the "likely scenario" point. Ansu Robotics has a drone based on the Mavic 3 Enterprise platform with Aloft providing the flight controller app.

I read that article and this excerpt caught my attention:

"Using his network, Warnas reached a licensing deal with DJI to manufacture the Raptor drones in Malaysia, using the core design and internal chipset of the DJI Mavic 3 platform. He could then import and sell the drones in the U.S. under the Anzu Robotics brand."

does that seem like a way to evade the proposed DJI ban that would pass the intent of the legislation?
 
I read that article and this excerpt caught my attention:

"Using his network, Warnas reached a licensing deal with DJI to manufacture the Raptor drones in Malaysia, using the core design and internal chipset of the DJI Mavic 3 platform. He could then import and sell the drones in the U.S. under the Anzu Robotics brand."

does that seem like a way to evade the proposed DJI ban that would pass the intent of the legislation?
Here's the gift link to the NY Times article where Stefanik said Anzu's attempt (and other companies) would be "futile".
 
My concern is where the heck is the AMA on all of this? Isn’t a lot of there stuff made in China? I guess they don’t really care. Not trying to start taking over their hobby so they don’t really care. But it would seem if security is the real issue they would be next. But we all know it really isn’t about security.
 
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can anyone explain the main reason that Autel, another Chinese company, seems to be exempt from this process?
Because they are "made in America" is my guess.Haven't been following it closely though so could easily be wrong.
 
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