DJI ban: how the world’s biggest dronemaker is getting shoved out of the US

2 months ago 14

December 23rd, 2025. That’s the time DJI volition automatically beryllium banned from the United States — unless Trump steps in.

You’ll inactive beryllium capable to alert your existing DJI drones and movie with existing Osmo cameras. But DJI volition beryllium barred from importing immoderate caller products into the US, and the FCC tin retroactively prohibition imports of old DJI products too, aft a waiting period. Not conscionable drones, by the mode — thing with a wireless radio.

Why a ban? Lawmakers connected some sides of the aisle assertion to beryllium disquieted the Chinese institution is spying connected us, adjacent though the US authorities has ne'er publically provided grounds of that. Some interest China could compel the institution to crook implicit drone data. (DJI has denied it shares immoderate information with China, claims it stores each specified information successful the US and announced it would delete each US formation logs successful September 2024.)

Some besides suggest DJI wouldn’t request to beryllium compelled due to the fact that DJI is allegedly “owned by the Chinese Communist Party,” though a US justice decided there wasn’t capable grounds to backmost that up successful September 2025.

Either way, lawmakers and Trump would intelligibly similar that American drones “dominate” the skies alternatively than Chinese ones, and it’s existent that DJI’s drones predominate today. No different institution has been capable to nutrient likewise a measurement of high-quality, low-cost drones, to the constituent that some Republican lawmakers yet began to propulsion back against a prohibition conscionable weeks earlier the December 2025 deadline.

They reason that DJI drones are important for farmers, vigor companies, and rescue workers since nary viable alternatives exist. Most of of DJI’s aged competitors, similar Skydio, have pivoted to endeavor and subject — the caller Insta360/Antigravity A1 is an antithetic exception.

Even without a ban, DJI was already connected the rails. US customs has been blocking galore of its drone imports for implicit a year, seemingly claiming that DJI was utilizing forced labour to nutrient its drones. (DJI denies this.) Between import scrutiny, accrued tariffs and the broader governmental situation, astir of its products had disappeared from store shelves; it didn’t adjacent fuss to motorboat its flagship Mavic 4 Pro, Mini 5 Pro, and Neo 2 successful the US.

Instead, it appears DJI has been looking to sneak its products into the US nether different marque names, like Xtra for cameras, oregon Skyrover for user drones, though the FCC volition likely beryllium capable to ace down connected those arsenic well.

At this point, the prohibition looks inevitable. To debar it, “an due nationalist information agency” would request to audit DJI and determine it’s not a threat, but DJI says nary bureau has taken up the task conscionable weeks earlier the deadline.

But ne'er accidental never. Remember the TikTok ban? Trump pressed intermission connected that one, contempt it being signed into law, and those lawmakers look to person nary idea what mightiness hap next. Trump has precocious enjoyed shaking down tech companies including Intel, Nvidia, and Apple successful speech for governmental and fiscal wins, truthful it wouldn’t beryllium astonishing to spot him chopped a woody with DJI arsenic well.