If a DJI drone is on your holiday shopping list, you might want to buy it now. The company issued a stark warning last month that its drones could be banned from sale in the United States, and the deadline is now approaching.
The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 in late October to “close loopholes” that allow technology considered a “national security risk” to be sold in the United States. Put simply, the US government is paving the way to give DJI the same treatment it gave to Chinese phone maker Huawei, effectively banning its products from the US market.
The US government has deemed China-based DJI a security risk. It also plans to separately ban TP-Link routers.
DJI sounded the alarm via an Instagram post regarding the December 23 deadline, which is only two days away. The company warns that without an audit, its products could face an “automatic ban.” The U.S. government has long called the Chinese drone maker a security risk, and it looks like the hammer may finally fall just before the holidays.
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The vote does not, however, mark the end of the road. Future bans would have to target specific products and would require a public comment period. But it appears the groundwork is being laid for the FCC to block sales of future and existing DJI drones from U.S. shores, as well as products using DJI technology.
The government has called for an audit of DJI by the end of the year, but if that doesn’t happen, the sale of DJI drone products could be banned by default under a national security law.
DJI calls for security audit before ban
A DJI representative told CNET that while the FCC vote refers to a rule change that currently does not apply specifically to DJI, the December National Defense Authorization Act deadline would put Chinese companies like this on the FCC’s ban list, “without any evidence of wrongdoing or right to appeal.”
Adam Welsh, head of global policy at DJI, said the company had repeatedly said it would be open to an audit, but “more than 10 months have now passed with no sign that the process has begun.”
“The U.S. government has every right to strengthen national security measures, but this must be accompanied by due process, fairness and transparency,” Welsh said.
Welsh said DJI was urging the government to begin the audit process or grant an extension.
Will owners of DJI drones have to abandon them?
Since the ban would apply to new sales, not drones already sold, a DJI drone you already own would still be legal to use – at least under current rules.
However, government agencies are prohibited from purchasing or using drones from Chinese companies, including DJI.
DJI drones consistently rank among the best in their product category. In January, they topped CNET’s list of best drones for 2025. But some of the company’s newest products, like the DJI Mavic 4 Prohave not been available for sale in the United States.
Even DJI products that aren’t yet banned can be hard to find. The website UAV Coach has published a guide to the bans and reports that due to inventory issues, most DJI drone models are sold out at retailers, regardless of future FCC action.
