Those efforts have intensified over the past year, and now barring a last-minute surprise, a ban on DJI drones seems inevitable.
“This is about driving the largest maker of drones out of the market so that American drone makers don’t have to compete with them,” DJI global policy lead Adam Welsh said in a recent interview with Mashable.
Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Canceling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds
,
$219.99
(List Price $249.00)
Apple iPad 11″ 128GB Wi-Fi Retina Tablet (Blue, 2025 Release)
,
$274.00
(List Price $349.00)
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
,
$248.00
(List price $399.99)
Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Security Camera (5-Pack)
,
$159.99
(List price $399.99)
Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device with Remote (2023 Model)
,
$24.99
(List price $49.99)
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
,
$298.00
(List Price $429.00)
Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base
,
$249.99
(List Price $599.00)
Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band)
,
$339.00
(List Price $399.00)
WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
,
$138.65
(List price $179.99)
Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black)
,
$69.99
(List price $139.99)
Products are available for purchase through affiliate links. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.
The Department of Defense (sometimes informally called the War Department) recently classified DJI as a “Chinese military company”, which DJI denies. We’ve also seen multiple reports of Customs and Border Protection blocking DJI shipments from entering the country, even for non-drone products. However, these actions are separate from the upcoming ban, which stems from a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the US defense budget – that requires security audits for Chinese-made drones. If those audits are not completed within a year of the bill’s passage, companies like DJI would be barred from importing new products into the US.
However, there is no company like DJI, which holds a unique position in both the consumer and commercial drone markets in the United States. Earlier this year, a report from new York Times Detailed how the DJI drone ban will cause major disruptions for farmers and first responders who rely on DJI products. The impact of the DJI ban cannot be overstated. In 2020, a report by Drone Industry Insights found that DJI captured a staggering 77 percent share of the US consumer drone market. BCC Research later reported DJI’s global share to be around 70 percent – an almost unheard of level of dominance in any technology sector.
“We’re 70+ percent of the commercial sector, probably over 90 percent of the agricultural sector, about 90 percent of the law enforcement, firefighting sector,” Welsh estimated. “We conducted an impact study, and approximately 450-460,000 jobs are supported through the use of our products in the United States. All of those jobs are at risk if this ban goes into effect.”
Nevertheless, lawmakers have argued that relying so heavily on a foreign vendor in any critical industry poses too great a security risk.
So what does this mean for DJI customers? And should you still buy a DJI drone before the ban goes into effect? Whether you’re a hobbyist, farmer, or first responder, here are the top questions you may have about the DJI drone ban.
Why is DJI being banned?
As stated above, the restrictions stem from the fine print in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, which passed in December 2024. In that bill, Congress mandates that DJI (and Autel Robotics) must pass a formal safety audit within a year of the bill’s passage, otherwise the FCC will automatically add all DJI drone equipment and services to the covered list. This would effectively block new DJI products in the US by denying them access to FCC-regulated bandwidth.
Under the Secure and Reliable Communications Networks Act of 2019, agencies eligible to conduct that audit include the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). However, according to DJI, responsibility for conducting the audit has been divided between agencies, with none of them willing to take ownership.
Mashable contacted each agency by email and received a response only from DHS:
The Department of Homeland Security is continuing to assess the risk of communications services and devices manufactured by DJI and Autel to make a decision on the risk to the national security of the United States or to the safety and security of United States persons. Upon completion of the determination, DHS will work with other executive branch agencies and the Administration to comply with Section 1709 orders by the applicable deadlines.
In June, Welsh formally wrote to DHS requesting an audit, writing, “I am writing to request that any or all of your agencies immediately begin the required evaluation of DJI’s products.”
mashable light speed
DJI has repeatedly said in blog posts and responses to Mashable that it is willing to participate in the evaluation. But no agency has started this yet.
Given DJI’s confidence in passing an audit, it is important to clarify that no agency is actually required to conduct such an audit in order to retain the company. Close Covered list. If any agency Did If DJI chooses to conduct an audit, whether it passes or fails, it will be required to submit an unclassified report to several congressional committees explaining its decision.
Without an audit, DJI can’t clear its name, and the clock is steadily ticking toward a ban that the company can’t stop on its own.
When are DJI drones banned?
Since DJI is unable to initiate an audit from any national security agency, the drone maker is set to be automatically placed on the FCC’s cover list on December 23, 2025.
This means that any new DJI drones entering the US will be classified as untrusted communications devices – they will be denied the FCC-regulated bandwidth you definitely need to operate the drone.
Can I still buy a DJI drone?
Credit: Joe Radel/Getty Images
The good news of sorts is that, right now, you can still buy a DJI drone, and a DJI representative told Mashable that they will remain operable in the future, pending further action from the government. After December 23, the company will not be able to launch new products in the US. What’s worse, the FCC can now retroactively apply its Covered List designation to previously released DJI products as well. According to Welsh, who spoke to Mashable, the retroactive designation will not affect drones you’ve already purchased, but only DJI’s ability to sell and market them.
I found 7 DJI deals worth shopping for Black Friday
Why is it hard to find DJI products in stock?
Buying a DJI product right now can already be a hassle. On DJI’s online US store, virtually its entire product lineup has been listed as out of stock for months, and customers can only purchase most DJI products from third-party sellers at retailers like Amazon. Despite launching globally, DJI has indefinitely delayed some products in the US market.
There have been reports of CBP slowing or blocking DJI shipments since late 2024, amid allegations that the company used forced labor. DJI has vehemently denied the claims, and it’s worth noting that the company No Currently Uyghur is on the Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List published by DHS.
When Mashable reported on that situation earlier this year, CBP said federal law prevents it from disclosing trade secrets or sensitive law enforcement information. DJI, for its part, has called the customs holdup a “misunderstanding” and said it is working with CBP to resolve it.
Due to inconsistent CBP blocks, there is now a significant shortage of DJI drones in the US supply chain. Major retailers are reporting low or no stock, and DJI’s own US inventory also appears to be running out. You can find DJI drones for sale from third-party sellers on Amazon, but it can be risky.
Who will replace DJI?
During Welsh’s interview with Mashable, he argues that the driving force behind the DJI ban is simply American protectionism.
It’s about driving the largest manufacturers of drones out of the market so that American drone manufacturers don’t have to compete with them.
There is reason to believe so, especially now that Trump has begun his second term. Amid sweeping tariffs and Big Tech pushing into billion-dollar, US-based data-center commitments for AI, the administration has made it clear that “restoring American manufacturing” is a core priority. In June, Trump signed two executive orders aimed at boosting the domestic drone industry — both of which stopped short of imposing an outright ban on DJI. Establishes a federal task force to “restore the sovereignty of US airspace”. The second directs the Federal Acquisition Security Council to “publish a covered foreign entity list” to identify companies that may pose supply-chain risks. States like Florida, Arkansas and Tennessee have also banned Chinese-made drones for public safety and government operations.
Still, DJI says it has previously faced additional scrutiny from the Trump administration and even the Biden administration.
So, if the end game on the government’s part is to have America first market drones, the question becomes clear: Who is really positioned to take the lion’s share of consumer drones once DJI is ousted?
This is a very difficult question to answer, because D.J.I. Is US consumer drone market. There are American companies that make commercial drones, but few of them make products for everyday consumers. Looking at DroneU’s recommendations for US-made, NDAA-approved drones, each option costs thousands of dollars and is clearly designed for enterprise, industrial or government work – not for someone who just wants to film a hike or learn to fly.
AeroVironment is probably the largest drone manufacturer in the United States, but it is also a defense contractor. Their drones are built for the military, not Best Buy shelves.
So, when policymakers discuss a future where American-made drones will fill the gap left by DJI, the reality is that no domestic company is currently positioned to replace DJI in terms of price, scale, or consumer reach.
<a href