The FCC just gave itself the power to make a DJI drone ban stick

anotherlab · 2025-10-29T22:27:43-0400

Wreckhunter said:
Not going to be up to DJI anymore,

For doing updates? That's entirely under their control. This is separate from not being allowed to obtain FCC certification

AnzacJack · 2025-10-29T22:46:15-0400

"from my cold dead hands"

looking to a National "Hand in your Drone" scheme. They'll give you a can of redbull and a bag of cheetos.

Wreckhunter · 2025-10-29T22:51:07-0400

anotherlab said:
For doing updates? That's entirely under their control. This is separate from not being allowed to obtain FCC certification

Dont know about that,it sounds like the FCC will now have a say in almost everything.

Dave Pitman · 2025-10-29T23:20:29-0400

Wreckhunter said:
Dont know about that,it sounds like the FCC will now have a say in almost everything.

Last I checked, the FCC does not control the internet.

Wreckhunter · 2025-10-29T23:21:54-0400

Dave Pitman said:
Last I checked, the FCC does not control the internet.

Not yet,but give them time.

Dave Pitman · 2025-10-29T23:31:42-0400

Wreckhunter said:
Not yet,but give them time.

Even the boot-licking tech bros wouldn't like that !!

Wreckhunter · 2025-10-29T23:44:45-0400

Dave Pitman said:
Even the boot-licking tech bros wouldn't like that !!

you got it

mavic3usa · 2025-10-29T23:54:37-0400

Wreckhunter said:
Not going to be up to DJI anymore,

anotherlab said:
For doing updates? That's entirely under their control. This is separate from not being allowed to obtain FCC certification

In the electronics industry, it has been a long standing question about whether a software update requires additional FCC certification. I'm sure DJI knows how it works in the drone sector but in general, if you only make minor updates to the UI or you fix a small bug like the RTH process or you improve sometime like the camera sensors or maybe even adding a faster charging algorithm....you likely don't need to rectify. However if you make certain changes to the radio or GPS or something consequential such as RF changes, you likely need to rectify with the FCC. DJI knows the rules and they also know FCC determines those rules which ultimately means the FCC can change those rules if they want to. Remember, we are way off the rails so anything goes.

Many of you may remember this debacle last decade ago, even when the FCC was righteous. In no way am I providing this as evidence because it's not the same as what we have now (feel free to agree with me in subsequent posts) but it shows what the FCC used to be capable of and we all know how much that has changed. Never in our lifetimes had we discussed revoking FCC, yet here we are; nothing is off the table.

Way to Go, FCC. Now Manufacturers Are Locking Down Routers

At least one large manufacturer has reacted to the new rules by locking down software. And more could follow.

www.wired.com

That being said, my personal opinion (which really doesn't matter) is there's no way DJI is performing software updates on products that has no FCC certification to begin with; that makes zero sense. You just don't continue to service products in a region where you are prohibited from operating. Not because they are blocked or because they are prohibited but because if they needed FCC for a certain change, they would be unable to gain it so the defacto block is inevitable, you don't forgo it for anyone else. For example, if the FAA says change the RID details to also include the [new parameter] exactly how is DJI supposed to do this? They can't.

DJI has already bowed out of sales, shipments, repairs, service and all that is left is support (which includes activations, troubleshooting, software updates). I can't speak to the capabilities of the DJI servers (and if they can skip US units or not) but if you are repeatedly sending over software updates to a country that has "banned" you because of your software (and hardware), that's a bit sus. Don't forget, it was the software that caused all this in the first place. Remember when DJI software was rolled out little by little to different groups or regions and if you didn't get it, just wait for it? I'm pretty sure they have complete control over their own software and we didn't predict they would bail on us before the ban....so there's that. I agree they reacted and that's what I think the ban will cause as well. A knee-jerk reaction, whatever that is. Whiplash. Painful.

Hoping for the best; preparing for the worst.

moldorf · 2025-10-30T00:53:06-0400

some of us saw this ban coming a year ago.

it's a snowball now...any news is bad news

be cautious with your DJI drones because you may not be able to get another, and if you do there's probably no effective warranty.