After the recent approval of the Anti CCP Drones Act on March 20 by a Congressional committee, I am grounding my fleet. Given current anti-China sentiments in Congress, I believe that the bill will end up being passed by both the House and Senate and ultimately enacted into law. I hope I am wrong, but I cannot bet my business on hopes.
I have reached out to my Congressman on several occasions to express my opposition to the act and my pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Today, I made the decision to ground my fleet going forward. Aerial photography and inspection engagements have become an important part of my small photography business, but I cannot continue to plan for the future with a congressional sword hanging over my head.
As such, I am going to act as though the ban has been put into effect already so that I can concentrate on growing the other sectors of my business that Congress hasn't taken aim at... yet. If the bill is defeated, which I now think is unlikely, given the TikTok hysteria, I will rethink this decision. However, I am going to pursue non-aerial customers going forward in order to keep my business growing and profitable.
Hopefully, there will be a resolution to this issue before I have to renew my 107 certificate in June. If it does indeed become law, I will not renew my certificate, as I cannot afford to purchase a new fleet of non-DJI drones.
DJI says if the Countering CCP Drones Act is passed, it could lead to the closure of 67% of small drone businesses in the US.
dronedj.com