If a DJI drone is on your holiday shopping list, you might want to buy it now. Last month, the company issued a stark warning: Its drones may be banned from sale in the United States, and the deadline is now approaching.
the The FCC voted 3-0 at the end of October to “close loopholes” that allow technology deemed a “national security risk” to be sold in the United States. In plain English, the US government is paving the way to give DJI the same treatment it gave Chinese phone maker Huawei, effectively banning its products from the US market.
The US government considered DJI, which is based in China, a security risk. It is also considering a separate ban on… tp link routers.
DJI raised the alarm via an Instagram post about the December 23 deadline, which is now just two days away. The company warns that without an audit, its products could face an “automatic ban.” The US government has long labeled the Chinese drone maker a security risk, and it looks like the hammer may finally come down just before the holiday.
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But voting is not the end of the road. Future bans must target specific products and will require a period of public consultation. But the groundwork appears to be being laid for the FCC to bar future sales and some existing DJI drones from American shores, as well as products that use DJI technology.
The government has called for an audit of DJI by the end of the year, but if that doesn’t happen, DJI’s drone products Their sale could be banned by default under the national security law.
DJI requires a security audit prior to any ban
A representative for DJI told CNET that while the FCC vote signals a rule change that does not currently apply to DJI specifically, the December NDAA deadline will put Chinese companies like it on the FCC’s ban list, “without any evidence of wrongdoing or the right to appeal.”
Adam Welsh, head of global policy at DJI, said the company had repeatedly said it would be open to scrutiny, but “more than 10 months have passed without any indication that the process has begun.”
“The United States government has every right to strengthen national security measures, but this must go hand in hand with due process, fairness and transparency,” Welch said.
Welch said DJI is urging the government to begin the audit process or grant an extension.
Will DJI drone owners need to give them up?
Since the ban will apply to new sales, not drones already sold, using a DJI drone you already own will still be legal to use — at least under the current rules.
However, government agencies are prohibited from purchasing or using drones from Chinese companies, including DJI.
DJI drones consistently rank high in their product category. And in January they did It dominated CNET’s list of the best drones of 2025. But some of the company’s latest products, Like DJI Mavic 4 Prowas not available for sale in the United States.
Even DJI products that haven’t been banned yet can be difficult to find. The UAV Coach website has Publish a ban guide Reports indicate that due to inventory issues, most DJI drone models are sold out at retailers regardless of future action by the FCC.