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"What does this mean? • New devices on the Covered List, such as foreign-made drones, are prohibited from receiving FCC authorization and are therefore prohibi
by Espressosaurus 10mo ago
"What does this mean?
• New devices on the Covered List, such as foreign-made drones, are prohibited from
receiving FCC authorization and are therefore prohibited from being imported for use or
sale in the U.S. This update to the Covered List does not prohibit the import, sale, or
use of any existing device models the FCC previously authorized.
• This action does not affect any previously-purchased drone. Consumers can
continue to use any drone they have already lawfully purchased or acquired."
Commentary: DJI has effectively been banned from operation in the US (unable to import anything with a transmitter, including most of their gimbals, mics, and other photography related equipment) They represent 70 to 80% of the US drone market. Probably closer to 100% for those that fly noncommercially. Autel, the other large manufacturer, is also banned.
- guerrilla 10mo agoSo, America just shot itself in the foot again. It's starting to look like a pattern.
- j16sdiz 10mo agoWell.. DJI have on-the-fly no fly zone update, and newer model can communicate via satellite. That's worse if you believe there are possibility of war...
- vasco 10mo agoAttack vector: drone needs to get out of a case, backpack or closet, out of the window and fly somewhere to do something. Meanwhile IoT devices, internet connected kitchen appliances just need to be able to be remotely activated to create a power surge and overwhelm the electric grid. Those can be sold no problem.
- mjevans 10mo agoOr even just 'halt and catch fire'. Heck even a targeted but small percent increase in sporadic behavior for targets of high value might be a worthy harassment tactic.
- guerrilla 10mo agoYeah, all your HVAC systems and even nuclear power plants are online. Don't give me this BS about kiddy drones.
- isodev 10mo agoIt’s like a poorly executed form of protectionism. I guess they’re doing the best they can, can’t expect people unfit for office to create good policy, right.
- pbhjpbhj 10mo agoPresumably it moves some stock prices or helps a company who bought a ticket/altcoin from Trump. I expect it achieves the intended effect.
- drstewart 10mo agoOh no, what will we do without cheap Chinese drones spying on us
- cyberax 10mo agoWow. The text of the determination is just unhinged completely: https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/National-Security-Determination-for-UAS.pdf https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/National-Security-De... > Federal planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics already assumes that UAS will be a central threat vector. CISA’s soft‑target and UAS guidance notes that crowded venues, transportation nodes, and public‑gathering areas are particularly vulnerable to hostile drone activity.9 Recent congressional hearings on mass‑gathering security have emphasized that UAS are now a routine part of incident planning, alongside more traditional threats.10 The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of War are already investing heavily in detection, tracking, and mitigation capabilities with these specific events in mind.11 UAS are also playing a critical enabling role on the battlefield in many modern conflicts. In Ukraine and Israel-Gaza, low-cost commercial UAS inflict extensive damage and have caused significant loss of life.12 Drug Cartels are also reportedly using foreign-produced UAS to smuggle drugs into the United States and carry out attacks. I'm sure, the ban on DJI devices will stop fentanyl and terrorists.
- jfengel 10mo agoSo now in addition to snuggling fentanyl they'll also be smuggling the drones. Twofer.
- b00ty4breakfast 10mo agoI want to believe this is some ploy to open the market for some US manufacturer that slipped a few thousand dollars in an envelope but I have a sneaking suspicion that nobody is coming to fill the void left by this naive protectionism. (Or is it deliberate sabotage? I don't even know anymore)
- Espressosaurus 10mo agoIf it was phased in and didn't specifically include allied country imports, I could believe that. This door-slamming-shut-suddenly method says there is no plan, and given we don't domestically make most of the critical components ourselves, at best it's going to take awhile to build the factories and expertise to make up for the loss of the biggest suppliers in the market. We'll get to pay much higher prices for much worse products while we do so. Just looking at what's available for enterprise use (since there is no consumer-selling US drone company at this point) it looks like US companies are around a decade behind.
- neuronexmachina 10mo agoIt's crazy that it also bans new models from Europe's Wingtra, Quantum Systems, and AgEagle, which are basically the only consumer fixed-wing drones available. Heck, those companies were even previously approved for the DOD's "Blue UAS" list: https://bluelist.appsplatformportals.us/Cleared-List/ https://bluelist.appsplatformportals.us/Cleared-List/
- neuronexmachina 10mo agoIf I understand correctly, this doesn't ban the import/sale of drone models which the FCC previously approved. That said, in October 2025 the FCC granted itself the authority to retroactively revoke previously-approved models, so this is something they could still potentially do.
- Espressosaurus 10mo agoIt bans the import, but not sale of models the FCC has previously approved.
- CGamesPlay 10mo agoYour originally quoted text explicitly disagrees with you: "This update to the Covered List does not prohibit the import, sale, or use of any existing device models the FCC previously authorized."
- Espressosaurus 10mo agoMea culpa. I've been reading some reporting earlier in the day. Trying to find verification for the claims I see that it was wrong. Which is better than it could be, all things considered.
- bambax 10mo agoIf drones are a threat to national security, then all existing drones should be grounded, regardless of the manufacturer. Or, if Chinese drones are the threat, then all existing Chinese-made drones should be grounded? I don't understand how banning future drones helps national security in any way.
- kortilla 10mo agoWell this would be step one to try to motivate some US company to start manufacturing. Then once it ramps up they can step in with banning existing stuff without causing too much disruption.
- zarzavat 10mo agoWouldn't you want the opposite? Once domestic production ramps up you gradually lift import restrictions to create more competition. I guess that's if the intention is to improve the domestic market in the national interest, rather than to just make people rich.
- flessner 10mo agoThat is exactly what you never want to do under protectionist policies. Domestic producers are shielded from Chinese competitors. This means they are under less pressure to reduce prices and innovate. I wouldn't read too much into the national security justification. It's a political argument to an economic policy.
- jepj57 10mo agoThe national security justification is that we need expertise building/designing drones. We won't get that if we allow China to out-compete domestic manufacturers.
- zarzavat 10mo ago> I wouldn't read too much into the national security justification. It's a political argument to an economic policy. Have you seen what's been happening in Ukraine? OTC drones are critical military equipment now. Not having a domestic drone industry is like not having a domestic rifle industry, you cannot have an infantry without it.
- givemeethekeys 10mo agoDoes that mean that DJI can continue to sell models that they've already been selling in the US?