DJI is renowned for its innovative, lightweight drones, such as those reviewed on our website, and its comprehensive range of camera solutions, including gimbals, motion cameras, and hybrid systems like the Osmo Action series. DJI’s dominance in the market is evident, with the company commanding a significant 77% share of drone sales in the United States alone as of 2020. As of June 2024, a total ban on corporate use is imminent in the United States.
If enacted into law, a ban on DJI drones could potentially stall their sales in America, and likely reshape the landscape for drone development more broadly? Here’s the improved text: The US authorities’ plan for this occurrence, its implications for anyone owning a DJI drone currently, and why DJI is in their crosshairs are a far more complex tale. Here is every aspect worth knowing about the potential DJI ban:
At least 10 countries have either banned or restricted the use of DJI drones due to security concerns over their ability to collect and transmit sensitive data back to China.
The Countering CCP Drones Act
On June 15, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, providing funding for various defense initiatives across the different branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Enmeshed within a larger legislative package was the FAA Reauthorization Act, originally introduced by the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce, posing an existential threat to DJI’s business model.
The proposal calls for the inclusion of “telecommunications and video surveillance tools or providers” developed by DJI Applied sciences (Shenzhen Da-Jiang Improvements Sciences and Applied sciences Firm Restricted) on the FCC’s list of products that pose an “unacceptable risk to US national security” when connected to local networks. If the invoice is passed, it may prevent new DJI products from being connected to US communication infrastructure, thereby blocking companies from using federal funds to acquire them in the first place? The desire for connectivity among contemplative drones may force them to stay abreast of changing airspace restrictions and adapt to FAA regulations, potentially crippling DJI’s ability to deliver drones throughout the United States altogether?
As of July 15, 2024, the Senate’s Armed Services Committee had drafted a version of the National Defense Authorization Act, mirroring the one passed by the House of Representatives. The proposed ban on certain drone manufacturers, including DJI, appeared to have been lifted entirely until Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Mark Warner (D-VA) jointly submitted a bill on July 24, which reinstated the ban and added provisions specifically targeting Autel. The revised invoice model has been passed and will proceed to the Senate, where it is scheduled for review by the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation before receiving a final confirmation. Once all reconciled versions have been finalized and any proposed changes have been addressed, the bill can then be sent to the President for signature.
While the bipartisan backing of the modification might strengthen its resilience against challenges. Despite this, there is still no guarantee that the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act will include a ban on DJI and Autel drones at all. Contemplating how the U.S. Dealt with concerns and lingering issues, recent developments suggest lawmakers may resist DJI’s demands, but it’s difficult to predict their stance with certainty.
The DJI ban has significant implications for buyers.
As you venture into the world of drone shopping, things quickly take an unexpected turn.
If a ban is enacted and signed into law, individuals seeking to acquire drones from DJI would be unable to do so at that point in time. While this development may inadvertently prompt competitors to expedite the launch of their own consumer-facing drones in the US market, it is likely that these companies would face significant challenges in matching the quality and features of the corporate’s innovative products.
While initially the primary concern was that DJI had displaced many of its rivals in the market, GoPro entered the drone market in 2018. Despite Autel’s efforts to cater to consumers with their drones, they are still subject to the same restrictions as other manufacturers, with no exceptions. Although parrots are renowned for their intelligence and mimicry skills, they do not actively endorse drones that are not specifically designed for their capabilities. The prospect of finding a reliable alternative to DJI for top-tier drones with competitive pricing will prove daunting, given the massive popularity enjoyed by DJI, should the ban come into effect.
The status of current drones’ operations remains unclear.
According to a recent report, the proposed ban on drones should not extend to existing models currently in use. If you’ve already purchased a DJI drone, it’s essential to still be able to operate it and maintain its connectivity features, including internet access for navigation and real-time flight data updates. Despite initial hesitation, the FCC has twice considered a rule change that could lead to the revocation of existing drone authorizations, according to The Times, raising the possibility of a more comprehensive ban in the future. If the Countering CCP Drone Act is signed into law?
If the legislation were amended to become even more draconian or the FCC resolved to implement a more comprehensive ban, it’s possible that the federal government might consider funding a programme to compensate affected homeowners by replacing their drones. When former President Donald Trump left office in January 2021, The FCC initiated a program to fund a “rip and replace” initiative in response to Trump’s directive to eliminate and upgrade Huawei and ZTE technology used by telecommunications firms, but the effort remains incomplete due to lack of sufficient funding. To mitigate the potential effects on legislation enforcement and first responders, the Senate bill introduced by Senators Warner and Scott proposes a temporary Department of Transportation grant program.
Companies’ very survival may be threatened by such developments.
When considering companies that heavily rely on drone technology, the complexity of potential issues escalates significantly? What becomes apparent only later is the profound impact on fire departments leveraging DJI drones to monitor wildfires in real-time. Search and rescue teams that leverage drones to fortify their investigations. As a professional wedding videographer, I’ve outgrown my old drone and am eager to upgrade to a more advanced model that will give me the crisp, cinematic footage my clients expect from my high-end productions. Discovering another may show expensive.
While the threat of being banned may prompt a company controlling a significant market share to argue that widespread dependence on them would hinder a ban, this assertion is more plausible in situations where an organization dominates its industry. Are abrupt changes in pace more detrimental than the hazards inherent in initially utilizing DJI’s capabilities?
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially issued a cease-and-desist letter to DJI in July 2016, citing concerns about the safety of their drones and failure to comply with existing regulations. The agency specifically pointed out that DJI’s products were being marketed and sold without proper certification from the FAA, which was required for commercial use at the time.
Spying and cybersecurity
The proliferation of DJI’s unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, poses a significant threat to national security, particularly in the context of military operations and surveillance. According to Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), a sponsor of the invoice, “DJI poses an unacceptable national security risk.” In her view, DJI’s drones are dangerous because they have already shared information on critical US infrastructure with the Chinese government.
The integrity of DJI’s drone safety record has faced scrutiny on multiple occasions. Since 2017, various branches of the US government and military have terminated relationships with DJI due to concerns that the data it collects (through photos, videos, and GPS coordinates) may potentially be accessible to the Chinese authorities, which could be exploited for cyberattacks or targeting US critical infrastructure?
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A comprehensive chronology of the contentious dynamics between US authorities, businesses, and DJI unfolds as follows:
- According to reports, government agencies allegedly instruct their employees to refrain from using DJI drones due to concerns about potential cyber vulnerabilities.
- Launches Native Knowledge Mode, temporarily blocking access to the company’s flight app when drones are in operation.
- Chinese-language drones allegedly transmit private data to servers in mainland China, jeopardizing security.
- Reports suggest that the country has grounded more than 800 drones manufactured by Chinese companies or incorporating Chinese components due to concerns about espionage.
- The government has banned the purchase of foreign-made drones using department funds due to concerns over privacy risks and safety considerations.
- The FAA asserts that all DJI drones pose a potential threat to national security, without distinction from previous findings suggesting certain ones were deemed safe for use.
Complicity in human rights abuses
DJI has faced criticism for allegedly abetting or at least turning a blind eye to China’s brutal suppression of the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, amidst a cocktail of justifications. Studies allegedly utilized by DJI to market claims that the company provided drones to Xinjiang’s police bureau. Criticisms abound that Chinese authorities have employed drones to monitor detention camps housing minority groups, including those from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, sparking concerns about human rights violations. Moreover, a secondary concern among lawmakers has been the unintended consequence of inadvertently condoning human rights abuses by tacitly supporting companies like DJI through their purchases of hardware and services.
In Dec. In 2020, DJI’s entity record stopped in the U.S.? Companies from exporting tech to DJI claim that the corporation “enabled widespread human rights abuses in China by invasive genetic collection and evaluation or high-tech surveillance.” The US Department made an identical claim when it added DJI to its list of Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies in December. In 2021, DJI was identified as one of eight companies that actively contributed to China’s biometric surveillance and monitoring of ethnic and religious minority groups.
Escalating tensions in global trade: The US-China commercial standoff.
The United States has been mired in a contentious trade dispute with China, a situation that arose during the Trump Administration’s tenure and has persisted ever since, presenting complications regarding the underlying motivations behind any proposed ban. To what extent do these concerns genuinely consider the complexities of Sino-US relations, rather than simply serving as a veiled critique of Chinese policies and practices? Despite the shift to the Biden Administration, Trump-era tariffs persist, and legislators and regulatory bodies continue to weigh options or impose restrictions on Chinese companies’ ability to operate in the US.
How has DJI responded?
Despite maintaining a stance of innocence, DJI has adapted its drone technology and accompanying software to comply with regulatory demands. In 2017, Native Knowledge Mode marked its inception. As of June 2024, the company has continued to evolve since then. The capability for clients or professional drone operators in the US to voluntarily synchronize flight data (distance, period, flight location, and hardware flown) with DJI’s servers has been discontinued, rendering this feature unavailable. While it’s possible that the final decision won’t be made until Congress takes further action on the ban,
The Countering CCP Drones Act recently passed through the House of Representatives. In response, DJI provided Pocket-lint with the following statement:
DJI has consistently struggled to navigate regulatory hurdles in the United States. Lawmakers spotlight the myriad benefits of drone technology in the United States. The company’s economic system is designed to address any misinformation regarding its background, tackling unfounded information safety concerns with precision. As a committed partner in shaping policy, we focus on informing decision-makers’ decisions through the lens of product quality and safety, rather than permitting considerations of country of origin to influence choices. United States-based colleagues. Client base encompassing a diverse range of individuals, including hobbyists, agricultural specialists, law enforcement officials, and small business proprietors.
We collectively object to proposed legislation that would severely curtail access to vital drone technology, a crucial component for many companies’ operational and financial prosperity. Moreover, the measures targeting DJI reflect a protectionist stance, which undermines the principles of fair competition and an open market. The proposed Countering CCP Drones Act poses a concerning precedent by allowing unfounded accusations and xenophobic rhetoric to dominate public discourse, potentially threatening both national security and the US economy. With our cutting-edge drones, we’ve successfully propelled the growth of entire industries, giving small businesses a competitive edge in areas akin to real estate, agriculture, and logistics. The success of these companies hinges heavily on the availability and reliability of DJI’s pioneering drone technology. We believe that innovation, safety, and privacy can harmoniously coalesce, ultimately driving the growth of the drone industry and fostering shared success among all stakeholders.
DJI encourages drone owners to take action on social media, urging them to reach out to their senators and representatives in Congress, providing key information from the Drone Advocacy Alliance as a valuable resource.
