In December 2025, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added DJI, the world’s top drone manufacturer, and all other foreign-made drones and drone components to its Covered List. This action effectively blocks the sale of any new DJI models in the U.S. By refusing to authorize new equipment, the FCC has ensured that while older, previously approved drones can still operate, no next-generation DJI hardware can be legally brought to market. The ban represents a major policy shift and will have widespread consequences for agencies that rely on drone capabilities for various operations.
Drone technology has become a ubiquitous tool in nearly every sector, with varied uses such as imaging, agriculture, search and rescue and video production. However, federal concerns regarding the safety and data security of foreign-made equipment, particularly products manufactured by Chinese companies, have reached a tipping point. To address these concerns, the FCC issued a deadline for federal agencies to investigate DJI and other foreign manufacturers to determine if they posed a national security threat. That deadline passed in December 2025 without a clearing investigation, triggering the automatic addition of these companies to the Covered List.
What does the ban mean?
This is a sales freeze on new technology, not a ban on ownership. If you already own a DJI drone, it is still legal to fly. Retailers can also continue to sell their existing inventory of previously approved models. However, the ban prohibits the import and FCC authorization of new drone products from foreign companies, including future drone models, parts and potentially product support (e.g., DJI Care).
Who will this affect and how?
DJI products make up an estimated 70 to 90 percent of the American drone market. An overwhelming majority of drone operators depend on DJI products, support and parts for everything from “State of the City” videos to critical search-and-rescue missions.
While public and private sector operators can continue to use their currently authorized equipment, the operational landscape is shifting. Support for these products should be expected to dwindle and, under current conditions, eventually cease. As hardware ages and parts become scarce, continued reliance on existing fleets of foreign-made drones will become a liability and an operational bottleneck. Replacing these fleets is not a simple swap; domestic alternatives often come with bigger price tags and different feature sets, posing a significant challenge for municipal budgets already stretched thin.
The Future
While operating authorized foreign-made drones remains legal, the regulatory landscape is volatile. The Covered List update grants the Department of War (DoW) and the Department of Homeland Security the authority to review, extend or rescind these bans, as well as retroactively ban formerly authorized products. In January, the DoW and FCC clarified December’s action, exempting certain foreign-made drones and parts from the Covered List until 2027 through their “Blue UAS List.”
Beyond immediate security concerns, the recent FCC update to its Covered List signals an intent to domesticate the U.S. drone market. The long-term impact may result in foreign drone manufacturers, like DJI, being squeezed out of the U.S. market.
Agencies should prepare and budget for the eventual phasing out of foreign-made drone products and begin implementing contingencies to transition their fleets to authorized domestic products. If the ban stands, owning a drone on the Covered List may be likened to owning a car made by a defunct manufacturer: it may still function, but parts and repair availability will eventually be limited to a shrunken, competitive aftermarket.
