DJI issues urgent warning: 6 months until possible ban

[mavic3usa]

You'd think all the law enforcement departments which use DJI drones would try to lobby against bans.

They already know how to become the exception to the ban; the ban would be for the rest of us.

 

[wco81]

They already know how to become the exception to the ban; the ban would be for the rest of us.

Would DJI bother to try to export only for LE agencies? That would be a fraction of the volume they ship now, so maybe not worth the hassle.

The EO says no federal agencies can buy Chinese drones. But states and local governments aren't covered by the ban?

 

[tstr14]

Would DJI bother to try to export only for LE agencies? That would be a fraction of the volume they ship now, so maybe not worth the hassle.

The EO says no federal agencies can buy Chinese drones. But states and local governments aren't covered by the ban?

Do you have any hard numbers to back that up? In my location, we have local police, a sheriff's department, state police, Federal agencies of the FBI, ATF and US marshals. Then there's the township government, many of which are looking at drones for code enforcement and fire department. We also have National Guard in the state. There are 1,773 "municipalities" in the state. That seems like quite a market to me.

 

[mavic3usa]

Would DJI bother to try to export only for LE agencies? That would be a fraction of the volume they ship now, so maybe not worth the hassle.

The EO says no federal agencies can buy Chinese drones. But states and local governments aren't covered by the ban?

I can only go by what I see in the open today since I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. The M4P is a no-go in the US but the M400 at twice+ the price is a go?

I'm not sure if an EO directly impacts more than just federal agencies but I do know many state and local agencies have and can find a way to continue to use DJI drones if they wanted to since there are always exceptions. Usually it in the form of grandfathering or costs or maybe the rules don't go into effect for another few years. Today we have private citizens donating drones to government agencies, is that allowed?

 

[wco81]

Do you have any hard numbers to back that up? In my location, we have local police, a sheriff's department, state police, Federal agencies of the FBI, ATF and US marshals. Then there's the township government, many of which are looking at drones for code enforcement and fire department. We also have National Guard in the state. There are 1,773 "municipalities" in the state. That seems like quite a market to me.

Maybe it's "big enough" for DJI to bother but it still is dwarfed by the consumer market.

 

[wco81]

I can only go by what I see in the open today since I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. The M4P is a no-go in the US but the M400 at twice+ the price is a go?

I'm not sure if an EO directly impacts more than just federal agencies but I do know many state and local agencies have and can find a way to continue to use DJI drones if they wanted to since there are always exceptions. Usually it in the form of grandfathering or costs or maybe the rules don't go into effect for another few years. Today we have private citizens donating drones to government agencies, is that allowed?

If the rationale is that you don't want Chinese drones secretly phoning home with data over sensitive assets in the US, just banning federal agencies from using them isn't going to protect national security.

If that really is the reason they'd ban them.

Because local police departments using them all over the country would have the same effect, capture a lot of detailed data which could be secretly sent to China.

Though of course, China can probably get high-resolution aerial and satellite photos anyways.

Has to be all or nothing or it's BS.

 

[microlinux]

I can only go by what I see in the open today since I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. The M4P is a no-go in the US but the M400 at twice+ the price is a go?

It is a bit odd. I just picked up a Matrice 4E, no problem whatsoever. But I can’t buy an M4P.

 

[tsl16]

You can go online and change delivery instructions to leave at door without signature.

Have a farm out in a rural area, gated, nowhere for them to leave it. I had it routed to a local Walgreens which has a FedEx center where it’s waiting for me now.

 

[tsl16]

You'd think all the law enforcement departments which use DJI drones would try to lobby against bans.

Purely speculation here, but I think local agencies might be expecting some big federal grant $ to replace their DJI models if they are in fact banned. And they’ll probably get them too. The federal government won’t want to be seen as crippling LE but since they’re the ones that “took them away” will have to act on that.

 

[mavic3usa]

Have a farm out in a rural area, gated, nowhere for them to leave it. I had it routed to a local Walgreens which has a FedEx center where it’s waiting for me now.

You might be ok with Walgreens I guess it depends on the location. When Walgreens first started, I think they were a bit skeptical that people would rather pickup a package there instead of at home. I think they're mostly ok now but just be aware that theft happens in those places just like at the UPS store. For my most important packages, I try to use the Fedex location (or the UPS hub) itself where you have to show ID. Walgreens is hit or miss on the ID and if I saw an important package come thru and sat for a few days, I might take a pic of it and send it to my "friends." Just saying....

 

[CraigVMN]

Full disclosure...this is an AI generated report from Google. The query I used was : "Are DJI drones banned?"

No, the United States has not issued a complete ban on DJI drones, but there are significant actions being taken against the company, and a potential ban is being considered.
Here's a breakdown of the situation:

1. Existing Restrictions:

• Federal Agencies: Federal agencies are currently banned from using Chinese-manufactured drones, including DJI, under the American Security Drone Act (ASDA) which became law as part of the 2024 NDAA.
• Government Blacklists: DJI has been added to several U.S. government blacklists based on national security concerns, including allegations of data sharing with the Chinese government and support for human rights abuses.

2. Proposed Legislation:

• Countering CCP Drones Act: This legislation aims to restrict or prohibit the purchase and use of DJI drones by federal agencies and government contractors. The House of Representatives passed a version of this bill, but the Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2025 did not include it.
• Potential Ban on New DJI Drones: The Countering CCP Drones Act could lead to DJI being added to the FCC's Covered List, which would effectively ban new DJI drones from being operated in the U.S. on communications infrastructure.
• Drones for First Responders Act: This bill would impose tariffs on Chinese-controlled drones, eventually leading to a full ban, and use the revenue to fund a grant program to help first responders and others purchase secure drones.

3. Reasons for Proposed Restrictions:

• National Security Concerns: Lawmakers and government agencies cite concerns about data security and potential ties between DJI and the Chinese government and military.
• Support for Human Rights Abuses: DJI was added to the Commerce Department's "Entity List" for its alleged role in enabling human rights abuses in China.
• Supply Chain Concerns: Some lawmakers fear that geopolitical events could disrupt the supply chain of critical drone technology.

4. What This Means for Consumers and Businesses:

• Existing DJI Drones are Currently Legal: You can legally purchase and operate existing DJI drones in the U.S..
• Uncertain Future: The situation remains fluid, and it's unclear if a broader ban will be enacted.
• Potential Impact on Industries: Industries that rely on DJI drones, such as agriculture, emergency services, and infrastructure, could be significantly impacted by a ban.

In summary: While there is no official ban on DJI drones in the U.S., the company faces increasing pressure and potential restrictions due to national security concerns and other allegations. The situation is ongoing, and it's important to stay informed about developments.

AI is fallible and can not be taken as 100% accurate

 

[tstr14]

AI is fallible and can not be taken as 100% 50% accurate

FIFY.

 

[JAW]

The American Security Drone Act of 2023, which is part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 prohibits the federal government from purchasing and using drones which are manufactured or assembled by "covered foreign entities." The effective date of the American Security Drone Act is 12-22-2025 For more details of the Act including who are the "covered foreign entities" See

 

[Dogpilot]

What the Feds do is usually of little concern, nor State Agencies. While I flew in the Military and NOAA, we always got equipment that purchased via political influence. Meaning it was hugely expensive garbage. Take the E-2C Hawkeye. I test flew that aircraft for 3 years at the NARF. I ended up crashing two, crash meaning they picked it up with a crane after I slid down the runway shedding landing gear, burning. They cost a mere $200 million each. Utter garbage. F-18's, did them as well. Defective from the factory. We had to mod the wings and software as they built the wings just a bit too flexible. H-53E, also had that project, they just blew up, gearbox failure (thank god that was not my test flight, practicing with an APC off San Clemente). So government agencies always buy the best.

The one I pay attention to is mines. My other life, I am a geologist. I get contracts at mines, meaning: they give me money. DJI has been frowned upon for a few years now. They are quite sensitive to any of their data getting out. Any hint gets a product banned. Try using a USB stick at one. Mining is super competitive. Just look at how effectively we got blackmailed on our latest trade negotiations. Russia sponsored, paid and trained to have Rhodesia done in due to it being the second best source for chromium. Indonesia and China had Nickel pretty well dominated. So mines, they really pay attention to this, and they hire actual competent experts for their IT. Point is: there might be something to it. I had to shed both my enterprise drones.

 

[Dave Pitman]

What the Feds do is usually of little concern, nor State Agencies. While I flew in the Military and NOAA, we always got equipment that purchased via political influence. Meaning it was hugely expensive garbage. Take the E-2C Hawkeye. I test flew that aircraft for 3 years at the NARF. I ended up crashing two, crash meaning they picked it up with a crane after I slid down the runway shedding landing gear, burning. They cost a mere $200 million each. Utter garbage. F-18's, did them as well. Defective from the factory. We had to mod the wings and software as they built the wings just a bit too flexible. H-53E, also had that project, they just blew up, gearbox failure (thank god that was not my test flight, practicing with an APC off San Clemente). So government agencies always buy the best.

The one I pay attention to is mines. My other life, I am a geologist. I get contracts at mines, meaning: they give me money. DJI has been frowned upon for a few years now. They are quite sensitive to any of their data getting out. Any hint gets a product banned. Try using a USB stick at one. Mining is super competitive. Just look at how effectively we got blackmailed on our latest trade negotiations. Russia sponsored, paid and trained to have Rhodesia done in due to it being the second best source for chromium. Indonesia and China had Nickel pretty well dominated. So mines, they really pay attention to this, and they hire actual competent experts for their IT. Point is: there might be something to it. I had to shed both my enterprise drones.

Yeah. They are all morons.

1. They can own the device.
2. The device can be air-gapped from any network
3. They don't understand that with 1 & 2 above, there is no leakage. These are not bright people.

 

[wco81]

I think they just want to cancel businesses with any big Chinese brands.

So far they haven’t shut down TikTok because it’s so popular. Otherwise, any being name brands from China they seem to want to kill, so they can say they are tough on China.

 

[MS Coast]

I think they just want to cancel businesses with any big Chinese brands.

So far they haven’t shut down TikTok because it’s so popular. Otherwise, any being name brands from China they seem to want to kill, so they can say they are tough on China.

The TikTok issue wasn't about popularity. Congress voted to ban TikTok. The Supreme Court upheld the measure. TikTok was shut down in the US. Trump, on his first day in office on January 20, 2025 signed an Executive Order to delay the ban for 90 days. He signed a third 90-day extension on June 19.

What other specific Chinese brands are being hindered from doing doing business in the US, other than DJI?

 

[wco81]

Huawei.

I think also I read that someone is taking action on China Mobile, a mobile carrier, which as far as I know has never operated here.

Also making sure to keep out Chinese EVs.

Those are the retail or consumer brands.

At the business to business level, it's various battery companies like CATL and others which were trying to build factories in the US.

 

[tintronic]

Never ever have I received a correct AI answer to any of my drone-related questions. It usually mixes different parts of the manual or articles, leading to a wrong answer.
Then again, I only ask questions if I can't find the answer myself.

 

[tintronic]

Full disclosure...this is an AI generated report from Google. The query I used was : "Are DJI drones banned?"

No, the United States has not issued a complete ban on DJI drones, but there are significant actions being taken against the company, and a potential ban is being considered.
Here's a breakdown of the situation:

1. Existing Restrictions:

• Federal Agencies: Federal agencies are currently banned from using Chinese-manufactured drones, including DJI, under the American Security Drone Act (ASDA) which became law as part of the 2024 NDAA.
• Government Blacklists: DJI has been added to several U.S. government blacklists based on national security concerns, including allegations of data sharing with the Chinese government and support for human rights abuses.

2. Proposed Legislation:

• Countering CCP Drones Act: This legislation aims to restrict or prohibit the purchase and use of DJI drones by federal agencies and government contractors. The House of Representatives passed a version of this bill, but the Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2025 did not include it.
• Potential Ban on New DJI Drones: The Countering CCP Drones Act could lead to DJI being added to the FCC's Covered List, which would effectively ban new DJI drones from being operated in the U.S. on communications infrastructure.
• Drones for First Responders Act: This bill would impose tariffs on Chinese-controlled drones, eventually leading to a full ban, and use the revenue to fund a grant program to help first responders and others purchase secure drones.

3. Reasons for Proposed Restrictions:

• National Security Concerns: Lawmakers and government agencies cite concerns about data security and potential ties between DJI and the Chinese government and military.
• Support for Human Rights Abuses: DJI was added to the Commerce Department's "Entity List" for its alleged role in enabling human rights abuses in China.
• Supply Chain Concerns: Some lawmakers fear that geopolitical events could disrupt the supply chain of critical drone technology.

4. What This Means for Consumers and Businesses:

• Existing DJI Drones are Currently Legal: You can legally purchase and operate existing DJI drones in the U.S..
• Uncertain Future: The situation remains fluid, and it's unclear if a broader ban will be enacted.
• Potential Impact on Industries: Industries that rely on DJI drones, such as agriculture, emergency services, and infrastructure, could be significantly impacted by a ban.

In summary: While there is no official ban on DJI drones in the U.S., the company faces increasing pressure and potential restrictions due to national security concerns and other allegations. The situation is ongoing, and it's important to stay informed about developments.

Never ever have I received a correct AI answer to any of my drone-related questions. It usually mixes different parts of the manual or articles, leading to a wrong answer.
Then again, I only ask technical questions and only if I can't find the answer myself.