On December 23, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned the import of all drones and new drone components if they are made abroad. This ban officially bans the import of drones manufactured by DJI and Autel into the US market.
Yesterday, the FCC published a temporary list of exemptions until the end of 2026 for several foreign-made drone models and components. Drones manufactured by Parrot, Teledyne FLIR, Neros Technologies, Wingtra, Auterion, ModalAI, Zepher Flight Labs, and AeroVironment can now be re-imported. Drone components manufactured by Nvidia, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, ModalAI, and ARK Electronics are also allowed. However, DJI and Autel drones cannot be imported.
Foreign-made drones are feared to pose a risk to national security, especially those made in China. Many see the FCC's action as an attempt to dethrone DJI, which holds 80% of the US drone market, while at the same time developing domestic drone capabilities. American farmers also voiced concerns that last year's abrupt ban would affect operations because there were not enough locally produced alternatives.
