The Federal Communications Commission has added foreign-made drones and their critical components to the agency’s “Covered List.” In simple terms, the US is banning foreign-made drones. In a public notice, the FCC said that several national security agencies have determined that unnamed aircraft systems (UAS) and their critical components produced in foreign countries pose a risk to the national security of the United States. “ UAS and UAS critical components must be produced in the United States ,” the agency said.
The US Government bans new foreign-made drones
Chinese-made drones were reportedly all over the skies in the US for years. Multiple departments, including police departments and firefighters, deployed them nationwide alongside private owners. This possibly could have triggered the FCC to impose this new rule. This makes it impossible for U.S. consumers to buy the next generation of these drones.
“ UAS are inherently dual-use: they are both commercial platforms and potentially military or paramilitary sensors and weapons. UAS and UAS critical components, including data transmission devices, communications systems, flight controllers, ground control stations, controllers, navigation systems, batteries, smart batteries, and motors produced in a foreign country could enable persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over U.S. territory, including over World Cup and Olympic venues and other mass gathering events ,” the agency said.
The ban doesn’t affect old drones
The FCC is banning the import and sale of all new foreign-made drone models and their critical equipment. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, on X , clarified that the ban doesn’t affect old drones. This means people can continue using the drones that they already own. Meanwhile, retailers can continue selling models that the agency already approves. This basically means that the new rule is only applicable to upcoming models.
Furthermore, Mr Carr notes that the Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security can allow specific new models, a certain class of drones, or particular components to be sold in the US. This isn’t a surprising development. To recall, President Donald Trump, in June, signed an executive order to accelerate the commercialization of drone technologies and ramp up the domestic drone production.
Big blow to DJI
While the FCC hasn’t given out a specific manufacturer’s list, popular drone maker DJI has been hit by the decision. Quite obviously, the company is not happy with the agency’s decision. DJI has been on the US government’s radar over national-security risks. However, the tech brand has long been trying to prove that its products are safe and aren’t a national security threat.
“ DJI products are among the safest and most secure on the market, supported by years of reviews conducted by US government agencies and independent third parties. Concerns about DJI’s data security have not been grounded in evidence and instead reflect protectionism, contrary to the principles of an open market ,” said the company’s spokesperson. For what it’s worth, DJI reportedly accounts for about 70% of the global market. This suggests the new decision can be a big blow for it.
