Will the US government ban DJI drones? Here’s what we know so far

Has a DJI drone been on your technology wish list? If so, you might want to get one while you still can. A Vote last week by the FCC This could mean that future products from drone maker DJI (and products made using some of its technology) could be banned from import and sale in the United States.

The FCC voted 3-0 to “close loopholes in the FCC’s covered list and secure America’s communications networks against devices determined to pose an unacceptable risk to national security.” In plain English, the vote opens the door to a future retroactive ban of products that use communications technology — such as DJI’s drone radio frequency technology — from being imported and sold in the United States, in the same way it has already banned Huawei products.

DJI, which is based in China, is considered a security risk by the US government. The government is also considering a separate ban on… TP-Link routers.

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But voting is not the end of the road. Future bans must target specific products and will require a period of public consultation. But the groundwork appears to be being laid for the FCC to bar future sales and some existing DJI drones from American shores, as well as products that use DJI technology.

The government has called for an audit of DJI by the end of the year, but if that audit does not happen, DJI’s drone products will be removed. Their sale could be banned by default under the national security law.

A DJI representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Company TechRadar said The FCC vote does not specifically apply to DJI, but the national security deadline will add DJI and other Chinese hardware manufacturers to the ban list automatically, “without any evidence of wrongdoing or right to appeal.” The company said it is pushing for an extension to the December deadline.

Will people need to give up their drones?

Due to the fact that the ban will apply to new sales, and not to existing drones that have already been sold, using a DJI drone you already own will not be considered illegal – at least under the current rules.

However, government agencies are prohibited from purchasing or using drones from Chinese companies including DJI.

DJI drones consistently rank highly in their product category. And in January they did It dominated CNET’s list of the best drones of 2025. But some of the company’s latest products, Like DJI Mavic 4 Prowas not available for sale in the United States.

But even for DJI products that haven’t been banned yet, it can be difficult to find one for sale. The UAV Coach website has Publish a ban guide Reports indicate that due to inventory issues, most DJI drone models are sold out at retailers regardless of future action by the FCC.