Arkansas the Latest State to Implement DJI Drone Ban

The new law follows Florida’s sweeping ban of Chinese and Russian drones.

Tuesday, May 02, 2023 at 05:28 PM ET

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DJI’s newly released Mavic 3 Pro may soon be banned by the FCC. [Credit: DJI]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. federal and state lawmakers are increasingly banning drones made by China's DJI for public entities, citing national security concerns despite DJI's refutations regarding data security and military ties.
These bans, including new legislation in Arkansas (Act 525), impose unfunded mandates on public safety agencies heavily reliant on DJI drones, forcing them to replace their fleets without state financial aid.
Unlike Florida's immediate ban, Arkansas's Act 525 allows a four-year phase-out period for DJI drones, which may provide it more staying power against challenges but still burdens agencies with significant replacement costs.

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A growing number of U.S. federal lawmakers are pushing for a total ban on drones made by China’s Da-Jiang Innovations, better known as DJI.

Already, the company’s drones have been blacklisted by the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce, and House Republicans are now looking to add them to the Federal Communication Commission’s Covered List. They’ve been outright banned from use by the Florida government and law enforcement agencies. And now, another state has done the same.