US lawmakers fear DJI drones will be weaponized

[rwilliam99]

Not quite equal to DJI but I wouldn't call them a decade behind in technology. Skydio has a lot of stuff DJI doesn't have and some of it, DJI desperately wants and has tried their best to copy (steal). OA on even the Skydio 1 is 10 times better than the best on DJI today and only recently has DJI closed the gap a bit. And Skydio has a lot of cool features which DJI will ultimately roll out now that Skydio has exited the consumer market and DJI can pretend like they came up with it first.

For example, I can see DJI doing a lot of good things with a personal beacon for example. Even today, you cannot press the sticks forward and force a DJI to punch it's way thru pretty much anything ahead of it regardless the terrain. Pretty impressive when you watch a Skydio do it.

The X10 is no slouch and no it isn't 10 years behind DJI:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I for one will never purchase a skydio drone, after what they've done. I will quit flying before I buy a skydio drone.

 

[Daytona500]

I'm off to film wild horses on the Salt River as my chineese handler has requested I fly over the tubers to get the best shots. Hmmmm is this what they're afraid of.

what are you flying in 100 plus temps

 

[Daytona500]

I'm off to film wild horses on the Salt River as my chineese handler has requested I fly over the tubers to get the best shots. Hmmmm is this what they're afraid of.

also is the road open

 

[Wreckhunter]

They do not have anything that is worth flying

If skydio has anything to do with this then lets see a folding mini .air and mavic equivalent to bring to the US market,that is equal or better
than a DJI product.Hey they want us to now buy a US made product,and since Skydio claims to be leading the way,time to get going on it.
But wait I forgot they lack the technology to make a good dJI replacement consumer drone.

 

[Wreckhunter]

I for one will never purchase a skydio drone, after what they've done. I will quit flying before I buy a skydio drone.

I am tired of this regurgitated rhetoric. If there is really this dire s problem, show us the proof and take the things off the market in the US.

This is McCarthyism in a new bright red and yellow Chinese wrapper. Without proof it is mere alarmist rhetoric.

I’ve written to my representative in the House and both Senators and still have no response from any of the three. I have no idea if they are onboard with the anti-CCP, neutral, or against it.

With it being tacked onto the Defense budget it is most likely to become law by the end of the year unless the Senate puts a big line item veto through it.

Come on Congress - SHOW ME THE PROOF!!!!

It all boils down to one thing with them,political gain and that is all it is.

 

[Wreckhunter]

Or at least equally for the larger bill in question. I haven't seen many lawmakers comment specifically on the Countering CCP Drones Act.

That is because none of them know anything about,and frankly do not care.More concerned about the bigger parts of the bill.
So I doubt it will be brought up much.

 

[anotherlab]

Awful lot of “R” there. Hmm.

Whole lot of "D" there too in the votes. This is bipartisan. The one time both parties pick something to agree on and it's this.

 

[Pacefast]

China is going to dominate the car industry in Europe and the USA ! Maybe cars too will be weaponised at the flick of a switch ? China also leads in Robotics and an Army of cars ramming everything in sight ?
As stated if you cannot beat them on trade ban them on the pretence of National security

 

[Cafguy]

If skydio has anything to do with this then lets see a folding mini .air and mavic equivalent to bring to the US market,that is equal or better
than a DJI product.Hey they want us to now buy a US made product,and since Skydio claims to be leading the way,time to get going on it.
But wait I forgot they lack the technology to make a good dJI replacement consumer drone.

They Could do it ( With Chinese Components) BUT You are NOT gonna pay near as cheap for it NO WAY Sure it won't take them long to start trying to sell us a drone BUT For what they are gonna have to charge for it It better have a removable gimbal AND Correct my spelling ( Gimble, Gimbal--- been writing it for years and it still have to think a sec).

 

[Limewood]

I fear the U.S. government weaponizing itself against citizens more than I do DJI drones. But “security threat” plays better to some Americans than protectionism.

 

[christen49]

It was more than just Rep. Stefanik, she just made sure to get the most credit for it. If you look at all of the China-related items added by the House to the FY25 NDAA, her bill (and now amendment) was just one of many. It just happens to be the one that affects us right in the R/C.

Her bill passed the commerce committee with unanimous and bi-partisan support.

Reading and watching all this from the outside, America is not smart enough to compete with DJI technology. So the best is to Stefanik the problem and just put a ban on it.
Look at Russia and many other countries that have been sanctioned by the US.
They pulled up their socks, dusted off and produced their own technology in many cases better. C’mon America. Get with it and learn to avoid that obstacle. The World will keep turning.

 

[MotoSavy]

China has satellites that can count the number of hairs on your head. They don't need drones to spy on us.

This is just Elise Stefanik helping her friend at Skydio kill the competition which makes a better product than them.

 

[MotoSavy]

Here's an email response I received from one of my US senators stating the Countering CCP Drones Act will protect us from DJI drones that "have advanced communications systems that could be weaponized and equipped to record and transmit imagery of U.S. military bases, critical infrastructure, and other likely CCP intelligence targets":

I got a similar letter from my Representative stating that is was a National Security and needed to be banned. I replied and gave him a good piece of my mind. He never responded to my reply.

Just getting ready to email my Senators.

 

[cneedelman]

It was more than just Rep. Stefanik, she just made sure to get the most credit for it. If you look at all of the China-related items added by the House to the FY25 NDAA, her bill (and now amendment) was just one of many. It just happens to be the one that affects us right in the R/C.

Her bill passed the commerce committee with unanimous and bi-partisan support.

And if you didn't vote to pass this bill it will be used against you in the next election cycle. You'll be labeled a Chinese sympathizer by your opponent. Scare tactics and negative ads... On another note, I thought I read that the ban may be only on new purchases and DJI is partnering or selling their tech to a Malasysian company selling Mavic look alikes.

 

[anotherlab]

And if you didn't vote to pass this bill it will be used against you in the next election cycle. You'll be labeled a Chinese sympathizer by your opponent. Scare tactics and negative ads... On another note, I thought I read that the ban may be only on new purchases and DJI is partnering or selling their tech to a Malasysian company selling Mavic look alikes.

They are not Mavic look alikes. Look up the FCC registration info for the Azsu Robotics Raptor. I've posted links to it in other forum posts. The internal hardware still has DJI branding.

 

[sportsphotos]

Here's an email response I received from one of my US senators stating the Countering CCP Drones Act will protect us from DJI drones that "have advanced communications systems that could be weaponized and equipped to record and transmit imagery of U.S. military bases, critical infrastructure, and other likely CCP intelligence targets":

View attachment 175757


Have you received any specific language like this from your US senators explaining why they are backing this bill?

I guess ballon’s are ok from China SMH

 

[djwak59]

Whole lot of "D" there too in the votes. This is bipartisan. The one time both parties pick something to agree on and it's this.

I saw 1 in the list posted. Is there another list that was not posted here ? Just askin.

 

[mavic3usa]

Go back almost a year or a bit and see what was being said.

Did we comment on this last year?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[moldorf]

China has satellites that can count the number of hairs on your head.

that's not much of an accomplishment....I have more fingers on my hand than hairs on my head

 

[mavic3usa]

Checkout the latest opinion on the DJI drone ban and the topic of how far back drones will be prohibited:

Not me, not my video:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies