If the US government does not review the security of DJI drones by Dec 31 as required under the recent defense spending bill, Chinese ag spray drone market leader DJI will be blacklisted “for no reason at all,” says the firm.
A clause buried in last year’s defense spending bill requires an undefined “national security agency” to determine if Chinese drone makers DJI and Autel present a threat to US national security. If one such agency does not report back by the end of this year, these firms will be added to the FCC’s covered list.
Being added to this list of communications equipment and services “deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the US” would prevent the Chinese drone makers from getting FCC licenses for future drone models and potentially lead to the revocation of existing FCC authorizations.
With the deadline approaching, DJI has written to five national security agencies (DHS, DoD, FBI, NSA, and ODNI) asking that any or all of these agencies begin their evaluation of DJI’s products right away, a DJI spokesperson told AgFunderNews.
“We feel strongly that the people who have built livelihoods using DJI products deserve a fair and timely evaluation to lift the cloud on our company and reassure our customers and the American public that our drones are safe and secure.”
Restrictions on DJI would have ‘ripple effect throughout US drone ecosystem’
In his letter to the agencies seen by AgFunderNews, DJI’s head of global policy Adam Welsh explains: “If you do not evaluate our products in 2025, the FCC would have to add our equipment to its covered list, depriving DJI of its due process and depriving thousands of businesses, consumers, and public safety agencies of products that they want and need for no reason at all.
“DJI’s drones are the most capable, best priced, and most reliable commercial drones currently in use today. Restricting DJI drone imports or use would have a ripple effect throughout the entire US drone ecosystem.
“Accordingly, I write to request that any or all of your agencies begin this required evaluation of our products right away. We are confident not only because we have nothing to hide, but because independent firms and other US government agencies have repeatedly validated and confirmed that DJI’s products are secure.”
Guardian Ag ‘strongly supports’ restrictions on DJI
US-based drone makers, meanwhile, see an opportunity at a time when Chinese rivals are also being hit with hefty tariffs, which will make their wares less competitive.
In public comments to the US Dept of Commerce, which is considering new rules that could restrict the US activities of drones made by “foreign adversaries,” US ag drone maker Guardian Agriculture said it “strongly supports” targeted regulations vs DJI and others.
According to Guardian Ag, China’s dominance in the UAS [unmanned aircraft system] market “stems from state-backed policies that flood global markets with low-cost drones, driving out competitors and disrupting private investment.”
Beyond economic harm, it alleged, “adversary-controlled drones pose serious national security threats, including remote software manipulation, supply chain dependency, and risks to food security,” claims DJI has repeatedly denied.
According to Welsh at DJI: “Users can amend their data preferences at any time through the app’s settings, easily delete information on the drone or download third-party software solutions. They can even disable the DJI flight app altogether, if they prefer.”
In its comments to the Dept of Commerce, the American Spray Drone Coalition, which represents leading distributors in the agricultural spray drone market, issued a stark warning should Chinese drone makers be effectively blacklisted:
“If actions being contemplated by this ANPRM have immediate effect on all drones originating from China, components from China, or from companies domiciled in China, 90% of the spray drone industry supply would be eliminated.”
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