FCC Partially Reverses Foreign Drone Ban

Restriction still covers UAS and components produced by the Chinese company, which has raised alarm among drone pilots.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, January 08, 2026 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The FCC eased a restriction on foreign drones and components, but the ban still affects China’s DJI. [Credit: DJI]

Key Takeaways:

The FCC partially reversed its sweeping ban on foreign drone sales, exempting drones on the Pentagon's "Blue List" and U.S.-manufactured drones (65% domestic components).
Despite the partial reversal, the ban still prohibits the sale of drones from China's DJI, a dominant manufacturer in the U.S. market.
The ban aims to address national security concerns and promote the domestic drone industry, with the exemption set to expire in 2027 for reassessment.
Many American commercial and public safety drone operators express strong concern, as they are heavily reliant on DJI technology and fear business closure due to the lack of cost-effective and performant alternatives.

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Correction: A previous version of this article mischaracterized the Commercial Drone Alliance’s stance on UAS manufactured in China. This story has been updated to reflect the group’s neutral position.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday partially reversed a sweeping ban on the sale of foreign drones and components. But to the chagrin of American uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators, the ban still covers China’s DJI, which produces some of the world’s most widely used drones.