The FCC ban on all foreign made UAS and UAS "critical components"

[zocalo]

...which makes me think they have other plans for us that we don't know about. Actually, I have a pretty good idea how they plan to act on their thoughts about this being a serious threat to national security but I know the drone community won't believe me. Which means we'll be caught off guard....again.

People are talking in a very matter of fact manner about the possibility of one NATO country (the US) invading another (Greenland/Denmark), which would likely result in massive rounds of tit-for-tat sanctions between the EU and US and one member of NATO invoking Article 5 against another member of NATO.

Seriously, if this is the world we now live in, we should all believe anything is at least possible at this point, no matter how Orwellian the suggestion is. We should prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. Go for it!

 

[CraigVMN]

By my read, it appears any drone model that has ALREADY received FCC approval can continue to be sold in the U.S. Quoting the linked dicument:



For example, the Mavic 4 Pro already has FCC approval.

Mark

Which makes me wonder about my M5P

 

[zocalo]

Which makes me wonder about my M5P

I've just been thinking along the same lines. My assumption would be that the FCC will not be giving any future DJI (or Autel, etc.) drones approval, and that would mean they are not only legally prohibited from being sold in the US but I believe also from *operation* within the US due to their use of the radio spectrum (unless anyone can correct me on this?)

There are a few obvious implications of that, if correct:

1. Tourists with a non-approved model will not be able to legally operate them in the US, and most of them probably won't even realise it's an issue but, as the saying goes, "ignorance of the law is no defence", so $deity help them if they get busted for doing anything stupid and that comes to light as well. Those with a clue might well consider alternative destinations for their vacations where that won't be an issue.

2. Hollywood studios, who now use drones extensively (care to guess whose?), will also be prohibited from using them in the US, which probably means they are much more likely to move filming overseas where they can still use them, unless/until there is a US manufacturer that can offer a similarly capable platform. That means a significant chunk of the production budget will be spent overseas too.

3. All those US-based agencies/companies that currently use non-US drones - especially the specialist ones - are going to need to replace them with *very* expensive US-made equivalents as they age out, assuming those equivalents even exist. Even if there is room in the budget to make the purchases, the cost will - as always - be passed downstream to the taxpayer or customer, and that's not just financial. If the misson is search & rescue and it fails because the gear isn't good enough, then the cost would literally be someone's life.

4. This is all going to get horribly messy, both in the courts and on the balance sheets of (mostly US-based) agencies and companies that are going to be affected by the ban.

Is all that really worth scratching a totally unsubstantiated claim of "national security" itch and allowing a certain US drone company with a noteworthy board member to hopefully make bank for? I highly suspect the bottom line is going to be a resounding "no" - unless you *are* that board member, of course.

 

[CraigVMN]

Meanwhile US drone supply in CA isa still listing the Mavic 4 pro and mini 5 pro...that's a head scratcher

 

[MS Coast]

Meanwhile US drone supply in CA isa still listing the Mavic 4 pro and mini 5 pro...that's a head scratcher

Why the head scratching? Both models already have FCC approval and are not affected by the new regulations.

 

[CraigVMN]

Why the head scratching? Both models already have FCC approval and are not affected by the new regulations.

Then why are they not available on DJI's USA website?

 

[KAOS Imagery]

Then why are they not available on DJI's USA website?

DJI chose not to sell the Mavic 4 Pro in the US when that drone was released.

 

[Riptide]

Then why are they not available on DJI's USA website?

DJI's shipments of drones to the US were getting seized by customs so they gave up trying. The drones here currently for sale are imported by third parties.

 

[CraigVMN]

The whole thing is such a scam, and DJI buyers are the victims

 

[anotherlab]

Tourists with a non-approved model will not be able to legally operate them in the US, and most of them probably won't even realise it's an issue...

If they are flying into the US, then unlicensed drones will probably be confiscated... This really won't be too much of an issue. Unless someone reports them or they get caught doing something illegal, they will be literally flying under the radar.

Hollywood studios, who now use drones extensively (care to guess whose?), will also be prohibited from using them in the US, which probably means they are much more likely to move filming overseas where they can still use them...

...If the misson is search & rescue and it fails because the gear isn't good enough, then the cost would literally be someone's life.

Larger drones for commercial use will be more likely to attract a US company's involvement. The profit margin is greater. Amazon could pivot and make a version of its drones for cinematography. This affects them, too; they are a film studio now.

It will take a large outcry from LEO and First Responders to help resolve the issues for S&R.

This is all going to get horribly messy, both in the courts and on the balance sheets of (mostly US-based) agencies and companies that are going to be affected by the ban.

The FCC was already under scrutiny by Congress for overstepping its bounds. Carr made it clear to Congress that the FCC was not an independent organization.

Is all that really worth scratching a totally unsubstantiated claim of "national security" itch and allowing a certain US drone company with a noteworthy board member to hopefully make bank for? I highly suspect the bottom line is going to be a resounding "no" - unless you *are* that board member, of course.

It was never about national security.

 

[3rdof5]

A question, not that any of this applies to a Canadian such as myself, but does this ban only apply to "drones"? And what qualifies as a drone? What about hobby planes and helis?? How does the FAA classify them? Do they only care about aircraft with a camera??

 

[CraigVMN]

A question, not that any of this applies to a Canadian such as myself, but does this ban only apply to "drones"? And what qualifies as a drone? What about hobby planes and helis?? How does the FAA classify them? Do they only care about aircraft with a camera??

That's just it - none of the other dozens of Chineese made drones are affected by the ban. It's not about the craft and what it can do, it's about who makes it.

 

[3rdof5]

That's just it - none of the other dozens of Chineese made drones are affected by the ban. It's not about the craft and what it can do, it's about who makes it.

The way I understand the ban is it applies to all foreign made aircraft that are not already approved by the FAA. All current models regardless of brand are still allowed. But anything being newly introduced (by any non US manufacturer) is banned. So again, back to my original question, what types of aircraft need to be approved by the FAA? I just recently bought a Flywing Helicopter, made in and shipped to me from China, no camera though. Would that have been banned?

 

[anotherlab]

[

A question, not that any of this applies to a Canadian such as myself, but does this ban only apply to "drones"? And what qualifies as a drone? What about hobby planes and helis?? How does the FAA classify them? Do they only care about aircraft with a camera??

The news release from the FCC uses this language: "unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), otherwise known as
drones". They do not mention cameras as a requirement.

QUOTE="CraigVMN, post: 1734613, member: 154722"]
That's just it - none of the other dozens of Chineese made drones are affected by the ban. It's not about the craft and what it can do, it's about who makes it.
[/QUOTE]
All new Chinese-made drones are affected. It's literally any drone and the components that make up the drone that are produced outside the US.

They can be whitelisted, but out of the gate, it's a blanket ban

 

[RangerEd]

Is the thinking that this is all going to change with the next administration?

This ruling was based on the law passed and signed last year. Since this administration is enforcing it I highly doubt the next administration whether it's Republican or Democrat will change it's stance. The fear with the CCP forcing DJI to give them whatever information they are looking for is real; it's their law and they can demand it any time for their own benefit. In fact our own government has done it before with our American companies especially with the telephone companies.