Are DJI Drones Still Banned?

"As of December 23, 2025, the US Federal Communications Commission barred Chinese-based drone maker DJI from importing any new drones into the United State. That might sound like you can't buy a DJI drone right now, but that's not true. Head over to Amazon and just about the whole DJI drone lineup is still for sale. So what gives? Are they banned or not?"

"In order to sell in the United States, anything that uses radio frequency components has to be approved by the FCC. Drones use radio frequencies when flying, so they fall under FCC jurisdiction. Because none of the drone companies have had the security review they need by an approved US agency, they have all been placed on what's called the Covered List. Companies on the Covered List do not have approval to import products into the US, effectively banning them."

"The key word in the previous paragraph was any new drone. Nothing DJI has made in the past is banned. No one is taking your drone away. It's still perfectly legal to fly a drone. And this isn't just a DJI ban. It's a ban on foreign-made drones, which includes those from companies such as DJI, Autel Robotics, HoverAir, and thers. That DJI is singled out in headlines has more to do with its market dominance than the way the rules are written."

The FCC barred imports of new foreign-made drones as of December 23, 2025, placing companies like DJI, Autel Robotics, and HoverAir on a Covered List that prevents import approval. Existing drones already in the U.S. market remain legal to buy, own, and fly; retailers such as Amazon continue to sell older models. Drone products require FCC approval because they use radio-frequency components, and companies lacking a required security review by an approved U.S. agency were added to the Covered List. The ban blocks new models from entering the U.S. until firms clear the security review, though the FCC has amended the Covered List to exempt drones and components approved by the Defense Contract Management Agency's Blue UAS list, providing a potential path for future imports.

Read at WIRED