As of December 23, 2025, the US Federal Communications Fee barred Chinese language-based drone maker DJI from importing any new drones into the United State. That may sound like you possibly can’t purchase a DJI drone proper now, however that is not true. Head over to Amazon and nearly the entire DJI drone lineup continues to be on the market. So what provides? Are they banned or not?
The important thing phrase within the earlier paragraph was any new drone. Nothing DJI has made previously is banned. Nobody is taking your drone away. It is nonetheless completely authorized to fly a drone. And this is not simply a DJI ban. It is a ban on foreign-made drones, which incorporates these from corporations akin to DJI, Autel Robotics, HoverAir, and thers. That DJI is singled out in headlines has extra to do with its market dominance than the way in which the principles are written.
I would prefer to say that with the most important competitor primarily faraway from the market that US-based corporations are swooping in with new drones. Truly we did say that after about Skydio, and we even preferred the Skydio drone we examined, however since then Skydio has shifted away from the buyer market.
No New Drones
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Courtesy of DJI
Whereas it is excellent news that the outdated stuff continues to be on the market, it is unlikely that any new drones will arrive.
In an effort to promote in the USA, something that makes use of radio frequency elements needs to be accepted by the FCC. Drones use radio frequencies when flying, so that they fall below FCC jurisdiction. As a result of not one of the drone corporations have had the safety evaluation they want by an accepted US company, they’ve all been positioned on what’s referred to as the Coated Checklist. Firms on the Coated Checklist don’t have approval to import merchandise into the US, successfully banning them.
There’s some proof that wheels are turning someplace, in a means that might spell excellent news for shopper drone flyers. Final week, the FCC amended its Coated Checklist to exempt drones and elements already accepted by the Protection Contract Administration Company’s Blue UAS listing. The FCC says in its public assertion, “The DoW has decided that UAS and UAS vital elements included on Protection Contract Administration Company’s (DCMA’s) Blue UAS listing don’t at the moment current unacceptable dangers to the nationwide safety of the USA or to the protection and safety of US individuals.”
For probably the most half, this does not actually affect shopper drones, until you had been available in the market for a $13.6k Parrot Anafi USA Gov version thermal drone, but it surely’s higher than silence, which has been the first factor we have heard main as much as the December ban.