Drone Doomsday Clock ticks ever closer to midnight for the US...

AeroJ · Sunday at 9:59 PM

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. FCC move to remove existing DJI gear, and all derivatives / those made by shell companies and any UAVs that feature any component they deem a security risk now, or at any time in the future from their 'approved' list.

New FCC crackdown could make this your last chance for a DJI drone

The FCC’s new security rules could halt DJI drone certifications in the US. Learn why this may be your last chance to buy popular DJI drones.

dronedj.com

If that vote goes through it is difficult to see how our hobby can survive there. Not even the FPV guys are safe. There are several videos up online suggesting existing drone pilots don't need to worry, but I find they are deleting my comments alerting them to this newer information !
But we can't 'ostrich in the sand 'it this time. I can't see that vote NOT going through - can you ?

And that would be the final power generator in the Death Star complete, leaving all aspects of this hobby in the hands of Emperor Trump and his minions. It would appear they will have covered up that one exhaust port that Luke Skywalker needed to blow it up

Not sure even Mr Steele could get in there now !

What a horrible year for the Hobby, and the hits just keep on coming...

mavic3usa · Sunday at 10:12 PM

This is the one time I disagree with the overall message from Russ' latest video. I just think it's naive for anyone to think the government only seeks to put a dent in the drone community and allow it to workaround and languish and take advantage of loopholes for years to come. We hear the phrase "the government can't...." which might have been true last year but sadly we haven't learned our lesson which is there's nothing the government can't do. Literally nothing. Everything is on the table....from permanent TFRs, revoking FCC, banning possession and/or ownership, even confiscation and arrests. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

AeroJ · Sunday at 10:16 PM

Funnily enough, his is the channel that has offed 2 of my comments raising this issue !

mavic3usa · Sunday at 11:22 PM

Couple additional stories if you want to ready more about it....

FCC Removes Millions Of Chinese Electronics Listings As DJI Faces December Ban Deadline

The Federal Communications Commission announced today that major U.S. online retailers have removed millions of product listings for prohibited Chinese

dronexl.co

FCC Vote Could Kill DJI’s Shell Company Strategy Before December Ban Deadline

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced this week that the agency will vote October 28 on regulations closing two critical loopholes that currently allow Covered

dronexl.co

paulhackerllc · 2025-10-13T12:53:10-0400

AeroJ said:
Oh dear oh dear oh dear. FCC move to remove existing DJI gear, and all derivatives / those made by shell companies and any UAVs that feature any component they deem a security risk now, or at any time in the future from their 'approved' list.

New FCC crackdown could make this your last chance for a DJI drone

The FCC’s new security rules could halt DJI drone certifications in the US. Learn why this may be your last chance to buy popular DJI drones.

dronedj.com

If that vote goes through it is difficult to see how our hobby can survive there. Not even the FPV guys are safe. There are several videos up online suggesting existing drone pilots don't need to worry, but I find they are deleting my comments alerting them to this newer information !
But we can't 'ostrich in the sand 'it this time. I can't see that vote NOT going through - can you ?

And that would be the final power generator in the Death Star complete, leaving all aspects of this hobby in the hands of Emperor Trump and his minions. It would appear they will have covered up that one exhaust port that Luke Skywalker needed to blow it up Not sure even Mr Steele could get in there now !

What a horrible year for the Hobby, and the hits just keep on coming...

Now, we as hobbyists, Part 107 or not, have a dilemma, do we sell or keep our drones as potential paperweights? I’m willing to gamble on the FCC’s decision with my Mini 4 Pro, but not sure I am with my Mavic 3 Pro. Am I being too dramatic?

mavic3usa · 2025-10-13T13:35:07-0400

paulhackerllc said:
Now, we as hobbyists, Part 107 or not, have a dilemma, do we sell or keep our drones as potential paperweights? I’m willing to gamble on the FCC’s decision with my Mini 4 Pro, but not sure I am with my Mavic 3 Pro. Am I being too dramatic?

I am going to take a gamble on all of my DJI equipment.

The last time the government declared my equipment to be illegal and the turn it in or destroy it, I chose to destroy it. A year or so later, those decisions were overturned and today my equipment is legal....but I destroyed it and it's gone permanently. No compensation.

Unfortunately I believe if the worst comes to worst with the DJI drones, you won't be allowed to sell it and other US citizens will be aware (beware) of DJI and you won't have a lot of value. And like most everything I have, you can't sell and ship it overseas.

For whatever reason, time seems to fix these issues which probably speaks to the political nature of most of our problems. I'll just sit on my drones for however long it takes and if I have to go to Canada or Mexico to fly my drones everyone once in a while.....

AeroJ · 2025-10-13T14:39:40-0400

paulhackerllc said:
Am I being too dramatic?

You're certainly overestimating the usefulness of a Mini 4 Pro as a paperweight !

But I see no reason you couldn't sell older DJI kit outside the States ?

'Destroying' drones whilst we await some political ******** to pass makes no sense - even guns don't have to be destroyed when they are illegal to use ! And we can put our arsenals of UAVs out of use by simply removing their batteries (and locking them away if that would make them happier) ! It's not like drugs, where possession alone is the crime, there is nothing to stop you owning these things in the same way that people doing battle re-enactment can have swords, rondels and maces lying about all over the place !

BlueHeeler · 2025-10-13T15:02:43-0400

Russ should do one with the iphones, millions of them with the potential to spy on us . Perhaps Skydio can launch a new line of phones and lobby our Overlords to ban iphones.

IDK, things are just getting wonky .

paulhackerllc · 2025-10-13T16:14:18-0400

mavic3usa said:
I am going to take a gamble on all of my DJI equipment.

The last time the government declared my equipment to be illegal and the turn it in or destroy it, I chose to destroy it. A year or so later, those decisions were overturned and today my equipment is legal....but I destroyed it and it's gone permanently. No compensation.

Unfortunately I believe if the worst comes to worst with the DJI drones, you won't be allowed to sell it and other US citizens will be aware (beware) of DJI and you won't have a lot of value. And like most everything I have, you can't sell and ship it overseas.

For whatever reason, time seems to fix these issues which probably speaks to the political nature of most of our problems. I'll just sit on my drones for however long it takes and if I have to go to Canada or Mexico to fly my drones everyone once in a while.....

Thank you for giving me a different perspective and calming me down.