The US government is considering a ban on DJI drones, a Chinese drone manufacturer, after the recent ban on TikTok. According to a report by The New York Times, a bill has been introduced by the House Committee of Energy and Commerce, which could result in DJI drones being prohibited from operating in the country.
If this bill is passed, DJI’s commercial products will be added to the Federal Communications Commission’s list of regulated devices. This act prohibits communication devices or services that pose a national security risk from operating on US networks. The law also prohibits companies from using federal funding to purchase equipment on the banned list.
The US government has targeted DJI in the past. The US Department of Commerce put the Chinese company on the blacklist in 2020, preventing US-based companies from exporting technology to DJI. The US Treasury Department added DJI to the list of China’s military-industrial complex due to reports that the company’s drones were used to monitor the Uyghur Muslim minority. And in 2022, the country’s Ministry of Defense also put DJI on its blacklist.
According to government agencies, DJI has provided information about critical infrastructure in the US to China, which poses an unacceptable national security risk. In response, lawmakers have suggested that it is time for Chinese-made drones to be phased out.
In a blog post in March, DJI denied allegations that it engages in activities that violate or abuse human rights. The company also claimed that it has no control over how the products sold are used.
Currently, DJI’s products are only partially banned in the US but are still used by police departments, firefighters, and researchers. However, if the US government decides to impose a stricter shutdown, this may change. DJI currently accounts for over 70% of the global drone market, as its technology regularly outpaces its competitors.