DJI drones are everywhere. The U.S. may still ban them
Drones from Chinese giant DJI are deeply embedded in American life. With a potential ban looming, the company has until the end of the year to convince U.S. lawmakers it does not pose a national security threat, amid trade tensions between the two countries.
The most immediate threat of a ban comes from a clause in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, a U.S. law that sets the annual military budget. Passed in late 2024, it requires DJI to clear a national security review or face an automatic ban by the end of 2025. No review has yet been scheduled, and the legislation does not specify which agency should carry it out. A de facto ban would also cover Autel, another popular Chinese drone brand.
“If no agency completes that evaluation within one year of enactment, DJI and other covered entities will be automatically added to the FCC’s Covered List,” Rep. Michael Guest, chairman of the Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, told Rest of World, referring to the Federal Communications Commission’s list of unauthorized equipment.
“Restricting DJI is a justified and necessary action to protect U.S. security interests,” Guest said, confirming that no agency has been tasked to conduct a review.
The U.S. legislation, which mandates a risk assessment of DJI’s drones, could automatically ban the technology “through no fault of its own,” a spokesperson for DJI told Rest of World.
“We are actively engaging with members of Congress to encourage a fair and evidence-based evaluation process,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. government has said its push to restrict DJI is rooted in fears that the company’s drones could collect sensitive data for China’s military or intelligence agencies. But given DJI’s edge in cost and capability over its rivals, a ban would be difficult to implement.
“Among the downsides of a ban are the near-term impacts on a range of users and consumers, considering DJI’s comparative advantage relative to most competitors in price and performance,” Elsa Kania, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told Rest of World.
DJI’s fate could serve as a bellwether for how the U.S. weighs the risks and benefits of allowing Chinese companies to operate in the country, given Beijing’s “capacity to control and influence its tech sector,” said Kania, whose research focuses on Chinese technologies.
Chinese government influence and national security concerns were also behind a move to ban TikTok — which sent users flocking to another Chinese social media app, RedNote. While the TikTok ban is now unlikely, the fate of DJI could become another flash point in U.S.-China tensions. Earlier this month, Washington and Beijing agreed to a 90-day tariff truce, with the U.S. lowering most tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, and China reducing its 125% tariff on U.S. imports to 10%.
The Chinese foreign ministry said in January that Beijing would “take all necessary measures” against a potential ban on Chinese drones. A senior DJI executive sent a letter in March to U.S. officials, urging them to initiate the required review, saying “we welcome this scrutiny.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security, which is responsible for implementing U.S. export controls, did not respond to requests for comment on the status of a review for DJI.
Without a review, DJI would be barred from selling new products in the U.S., and restricted from updating existing ones because it would not be able to obtain FCC certifications for wireless transmitters that are an essential part of the drones, Rupprecht Law, a Florida-based firm that specializes in drone law, wrote in a note on the legislation.
For DJI, the stakes are immense. It said in 2021 that North America was its biggest market, but has not provided updated sales data in recent years. The global drone market will be worth $57.8 billion by 2030, according to Hamburg-based consultancy Drone Industry Insights.
First developed in a college dorm room in Hong Kong in 2006 by founder Frank Wang, DJI commands about 70% of global drone sales. Its top-performing and relatively low-cost models are widely used by the police, firefighters, emergency responders, and professionals in science and media.
But along with its popularity came concerns. In 2020, a French cybersecurity firm reverse-engineered DJI’s Android app and found it collected user data and could install updates without user consent. A 2023 peer-reviewed study found DJI’s Wi-Fi could be hijacked, letting attackers seize control of drones with off-the-shelf gear.
DJI has said it has implemented updates including a local data mode to prevent data transmission over the internet. It has also declared no government entity sits on its board, and that it has never received overseas data requests from Chinese authorities.
There have been other efforts to limit Chinese drones in the U.S. Last year, the House passed the Countering CCP Drones Act, which sought to ban the sale and use of DJI and Autel drones, but it stalled in the Senate. Earlier this year, the U.S. Commerce Department announced it was considering new rules to restrict Chinese drones.
DJI isn’t the only Chinese firm to come under scrutiny. Besides TikTok, the U.S. has made efforts to bar BYD’s electric vehicles with high tariffs, and imposed sanctions on Huawei’s chips on national security grounds.
“The concept of national security is becoming more expansive, and industries that were regarded previously as promising from a commercial perspective are now increasingly viewed through a security lens,” Kania said.
To counter these efforts, DJI has spent nearly $7 million lobbying lawmakers since 2019, when Congress first restricted the Pentagon and federal agencies from buying Chinese drones because of national security concerns. That year, its lobbying budget more than doubled to $1.4 million. It has since enlisted several powerful lobbying firms like Liberty Government Affairs, which also represents Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein in the U.S.
It has also tried to win over its users, engaging with public safety agencies, educational institutions, and other drone users on platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and Instagram. It points to third-party security audits and compliance with Western cybersecurity protocols as evidence of its transparency.
The company also co-founded the Drone Advocacy Alliance, which organizes users to oppose country of origin-based restrictions. Members include U.S. drone firms Blue Nose Aerial Imaging and Dronelink, many of which partner with DJI or use DJI drones in their services. The group facilitated more than 60,000 messages to lawmakers opposing the Countering CCP Drones Act, a separate bill that calls for the ban of Chinese drones, according to Chris Fink, a board member of the Drone Advocacy Alliance. Many supporters emphasize the role of DJI drones in public safety, such as search and rescue.
U.S. drone makers have formed their own coalition, the Partnership for Drone Competitiveness, backed by U.S. manufacturers including Skydio and Brinc. The group argues DJI receives unfair subsidies from the Chinese government, and that relying on foreign-made drones poses national security risks. Yet companies including Skydio source components from China.
The tariffs may well tilt the balance. DJI increased prices in response to U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, and has said U.S. customs officials blocked some of its shipments at the border.
Its new professional drone, the Mavic 4 Pro, has not yet been launched in the U.S., leaving some customers to consider purchasing it in Canada or Mexico.
“Customers want the best technology at the best price,” Fink said. “That still often means DJI or other Chinese-made drones.”