Own a DJI drone? Here's how the FCC ban affects you today

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source connected Google.

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The prohibition doesn't crushed existing drones.
• The prohibition volition impact caller products, but existing products stay connected sale.
• The prohibition could person a important interaction connected businesses and jobs.

OK, if you're a drone relation successful the US, past you've apt seen the headlines astir the "DJI drone ban."

But what does this mean? Is your drone going to abruptly autumn from the sky? Are the Feds going to footwear your doorway down if you effort to alert it? Is this conscionable bureaucratic reddish portion that doesn't impact you?

Also: I recovered a $170 mobile gimbal that rivals my DJI - and it's casual to acceptable up

Let's instrumentality a look astatine what's happening betwixt the US government, DJI, and different drone manufacturers, and decipher what that means for you.

Why is this successful the news?

The crushed this made headlines is that Dec. 23, 2025, was the deadline acceptable for a nationalist information audit to beryllium completed connected DJI, on with each different overseas drone manufacturers. The audit was not completed. In fact, it was not adjacent started. That was not the responsibility of DJI, either; nary bureau was ever tasked with conducting the audits.

The deadline came and went, and the audit was not completed, resulting successful the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adding overseas drone companies to its list of communications instrumentality and services deemed "to airs an unacceptable hazard to the nationalist information of the US oregon the information and information of US persons."

Also: I tested DJI's palm-sized drone, and it captured things I had ne'er seen earlier (and it's present lone $159)

The database has already been location to companies specified arsenic Kaspersky, HTC, and Huawei.

This means immoderate institution manufacturing "uncrewed craft systems (UAS) and UAS captious components produced successful a overseas state and each communications and video surveillance instrumentality and services listed successful Section 1709(a)(1) of the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act" volition not get FCC support for caller products. However, existing banal tin inactive beryllium sold.

Other DJI products are affected

The prohibition doesn't conscionable use to drones.

It affects DJI enactment cameras, gimbals, and microphones. As a result, the prohibition extends beyond drone operators and impacts astir anyone successful the US who has invested successful DJI products, which could person important repercussions.

Just past month, Digital Camera World interviewed Adam Welsh, DJI's caput of planetary policy, who claimed the company's products enactment "about 460,000 jobs and astir $116 cardinal worthy of economical activity."

Also: I tried DJI's archetypal 360-degree camera, and its signaling capabilities blows retired the competition

However, this is wherever it gets confusing. The US authorities could propulsion the FCC to revoke certification for existing products, meaning products already connected store shelves could beryllium banned from sale. Currently, however, this has not had an interaction connected existing products, and DJI has confirmed to ZDNET that this remains the case.

There's besides the contented of warranty and servicing.

Drones tin and bash crash, and DJI, successful particular, has offered fantabulous warranty replacements and repairs. The FCC prohibition could impact parts availability and warranty replacements. Over the past fewer months, determination person been respective reports of warranty replacement drones being stuck successful customs for extended periods or, successful immoderate cases, being rejected.

What's the hazard of foreign-made drones?

If you're wondering whether the US authorities has a crushed to beryllium wary of overseas drones, determination is nary nationalist grounds of immoderate risk. Other governments besides bash not look to beryllium overly acrophobic astir overseas drones, though determination person been reports of "concerns" astir drones flying implicit delicate sites successful the UK.

Also: I tested DJI's latest flagship drone, and it's consecutive from the aboriginal (with 1 caveat)

There aren't immoderate companies successful a presumption to instrumentality implicit from DJI successful the user and commercialized drone markets, either. DJI is years up of competitors, though immoderate companies are sitting connected the sidelines hoping to currency in. One specified institution is Unusual Machines, a Florida-based drone steadfast that appointed Donald Trump Jr. arsenic an advisor past year.

What does the aboriginal clasp for DJI and drones successful general?

Right now, it's intolerable to say. 

Also: The champion drones of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

It's improbable the US authorities volition backmost down anytime soon, truthful the prohibition is apt to stay successful place. With nary home drone companies acceptable to capable the gap, drone usage could stagnate, and hobbyists and companies -- some tiny and ample -- that person built businesses astir drones could suffer.