News DJI drone ban passes in U.S. House — 'Countering CCP Drones Act' would ban all DJI sales in U.S. if passed in Senate

[Admin]

The Countering CCP Drones Act, a part of the U.S.'s 2025 annual defense spending act, has passed in the House of Representatives. A successful passage through the Senate in the coming weeks would ban all DJI sales in the U.S.

DJI drone ban passes in U.S. House — 'Countering CCP Drones Act' would ban all DJI sales in U.S. if passed in Senate : Read more

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

Even if the data were seen by Chinese intelligence there's very little use for the data if it's of public and open spaces, as that can be seen by any surveillance satellite and literal dollar store drone, or any of the other drone makers. Same goes for war use, you can build a Raspberry Pi drone or even use something as simple as a remote controlled helicopter or boat if you have line of sight.

But the reason people buy DJI drones (I have one myself) is the same reason they buy Lenovo computers and OnePlus and other Chinese make smartphones: You get a lot for your money compared to Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese, and American manufacturers. Also, many of the American drone manufacturers target commercial, industrial, and military uses, which is understandable as the profit margins are higher and pockets deeper, whereas DJI offers consumer price friendly models like the Mavic Mini which are under the 250g weight limit for licenses and the Avata FPV with miles long transmission ranges (since they ditched Wi-Fi transmission) for under $1000, a price range very much within the budget of anyone from hobbiests to farmers to small businesses and content creators, and you can buy them off the shelf today from stores and online, whereas American drones like Skydio you have to order from them which may not be a problem for government, commerical, and industries, but is for individuals.

 

[Loadedaxe]

This is getting ridiculous

 

[USAFRet]

But the reason people buy DJI drones (I have one myself) is the same reason they buy Lenovo computers and OnePlus and other Chinese make smartphones:

I have a HolyStone specifically due to the overbearing geofencing in DJI.

And Skydio specifically exited out of the consumer market, not that long ago. They were available on normal places like Amazon.
(I considered one of those as well)

 

[ivan_vy]

this is another step in a string of nonsense bans targeted to chinese companies where the real reason behind is to protect the inferior American competitors (price : perf/benefit ratio) and hurting the consumer in the end.
Protectionism at it finest. what's next? banning unfair chinese noodles?

 

[USAFRet]

this is another step in a string of nonsense bans targeted to chinese companies where the real reason behind is to protect the inferior American competitors (price😛erf/benefit ratio) and hurting the consumer in the end.
Protectionism at it finest. what's next? banning unfair chinese noodles?

Interesting that none of the other Chinese drone manufacturers are a target of this.

Maybe it IS just DJI and what they are doing.

 

[pixelpusher220]

Even if the data were seen by Chinese intelligence there's very little use for the data if it's of public and open spaces, as that can be seen by any surveillance satellite and literal dollar store drone, or any of the other drone makers. Same goes for war use, you can build a Raspberry Pi drone or even use something as simple as a remote controlled helicopter or boat if you have line of sight.

But the reason people buy DJI drones (I have one myself) is the same reason they buy Lenovo computers and OnePlus and other Chinese make smartphones: You get a lot for your money compared to Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese, and American manufacturers. Also, many of the American drone manufacturers target commercial, industrial, and military uses, which is understandable as the profit margins are higher and pockets deeper, whereas DJI offers consumer price friendly models like the Mavic Mini which are under the 250g weight limit for licenses and the Avata FPV with miles long transmission ranges (since they ditched Wi-Fi transmission) for under $1000, a price range very much within the budget of anyone from hobbiests to farmers to small businesses and content creators, and you can buy them off the shelf today from stores and online, whereas American drones like Skydio you have to order from them which may not be a problem for government, commerical, and industries, but is for individuals.

Fitbit users uploading their runs, disclosed locations of clandestine US military bases and patrol routes.

Not found of full on bans, just need to be aware that lots of random data points can paint unexpected pictures.

 

[NinoPino]

Even if the data were seen by Chinese intelligence there's very little use for the data if it's of public and open spaces, as that can be seen by any surveillance satellite and literal dollar store drone, or any of the other drone makers. ...

Bans for China never was for security, was done from the beginning for economic purposes and nothing more.

 

[NinoPino]

Interesting that none of the other Chinese drone manufacturers are a target of this.

Maybe it IS just DJI and what they are doing.

I suppose it is because DJI is the best Chinese manufacturer by market share and competitiveness.

 

[USAFRet]

Since I doubt any of us here have read the full text of this ban from Congress, myself included, the Why is all speculation.

 

[usertests]

Since I doubt any of us here have read the full text of this ban from Congress, myself included, the Why is all speculation.

https://www.twz.com/air/mysterious-drones-swarmed-langley-afb-for-weeks

If aliens aren't swarming over military bases (which would normally be inaccessible to consumer drones due to geofencing), maybe it's Chinese-made drones with a special firmware update. A spy only needs to pick one up from an American retailer, update it, and away they go.

 

[USAFRet]

https://www.twz.com/air/mysterious-drones-swarmed-langley-afb-for-weeks

If aliens aren't swarming over military bases (which would normally be inaccessible to consumer drones due to geofencing), maybe it's Chinese-made drones with a special firmware update.

I am intimately aware of that incident.

 

[JTWrenn]

As this is a ban on future sales, not operation of drones in our airspace I call bs on the security reasons. This is about market cominance and congress getting into picking winners and losers. They need to be more honest about it and simply say China does this in their country we are reciprocating. They don't play fair so we won't. EOL

 

[Sluggotg]

I am obviously in the minority here. Communist Chinese products are required, by law to have backdoors for Government use. That is why I avoid them. I don't want to be using a Chinese product that can be bricked by the Communist Chinese Government at anytime. Countries using these products for their Internet backbones will be in for a nasty surprise if their government angers China. I know this is political but most of the posts for this story are. Countries can ban product from where ever they want. Most countries do.

 

[ivan_vy]

I am obviously in the minority here. Communist Chinese products are required, by law to have backdoors for Government use. That is why I avoid them. I don't want to be using a Chinese product that can be bricked by the Communist Chinese Government at anytime. Countries using these products for their Internet backbones will be in for a nasty surprise if their government angers China. I know this is political but most of the posts for this story are. Countries can ban product from where ever they want. Most countries do.

got any source? not doubting, just genuine curious, same can be said of american tech and NSA.

 

[35below0]

got any source? not doubting, just genuine curious, same can be said of american tech and NSA.

I mean, they'd be the lamest communists ever if they didn't enforce this. Of course, publicly the party would never stoop so low.

Your source is any document on communism printed outside the censorship bubble of a communist party.


As for China and economic reasons behind this, it's been stated repeatedly that while the USA side acknowledges that both sides constantly spy on each other, the Chinese extend this to economic and industrial espionage. One state undermines the other economically.

To the Chinese state, this is fair game, but to the USA it is not. The Chinese state does not separate economy from the state, though this is a BS excuse.

Espionage and inteligence is an open secret and a neccessary part of international crime, or politics.
Industrial espionage and economic sabotage are actual crimes, and while China blurres the line, the USA draws it in thick, red ink.

That's why spy vs spy the USA does not get too pissy. They know both countries, in fact all countries are keeping tabs on each other. But few countries steal economic blueprints and use them to sell knockoffs, gain market share and create wealth.
The total control of the single party coupled with the benefits of open society research and market penetration. That's what's got the USA hopping mad.

The quality or value of Chinese products is not the issue. It's the role of the state in acquiring technology ilegally AND using public money to subsidize production. A dictatorship answers to no one so they can spend the money as they please, while the USA cannot. Likewise, US products are priced out by cheap subsidy.

The US is angry enough at Europeans for their BS, though the Europeans point their fingers right back at the US. Both sides accuse each other of loopholes and abuse of public money.
But this is nothing like the level of abuse coming from the Chinese state.

And again, to the Chinese state, all is fair in love and war and all belongs to the state anyway. And also, there can be only one big rooster keeping all the hens in line, and it will be them.
So you can understand why the USA must act.

 

[NedSmelly]

Politics aside... this really restricts the range of drones available to the consumer-prosumer market in the USA, if it goes ahead. There's nothing that competes at the same level in terms of features-per-dollar.

I can't see Skydio returning to the consumer market any time soon, or Parrot moving back into the mass market. Also interesting how Autel (a Shenzhen based company) isn't in the firing line.

Postscript. I wonder if this will just end up feeding a middleware industry that 'launders' DJI technology via licensing loopholes, such as Anzu Robotics.

 

[gg83]

this is another step in a string of nonsense bans targeted to chinese companies where the real reason behind is to protect the inferior American competitors (price : perf/benefit ratio) and hurting the consumer in the end.
Protectionism at it finest. what's next? banning unfair

I am obviously in the minority here. Communist Chinese products are required, by law to have backdoors for Government use. That is why I avoid them. I don't want to be using a Chinese product that can be bricked by the Communist Chinese Government at anytime. Countries using these products for their Internet backbones will be in for a nasty surprise if their government angers China. I know this is political but most of the posts for this story are. Countries can ban product from where ever they want. Most countries do.

I wish Tom's would stop writing articles about US sanctions all together. It's always political and the comments always bash the US.

 

[CelicaGT]

I have a HolyStone specifically due to the overbearing geofencing in DJI.

And Skydio specifically exited out of the consumer market, not that long ago. They were available on normal places like Amazon.
(I considered one of those as well)

Admittedly I am somewhat ignorant of DJI geofencing in the US (But very aware of the China-US tension). As an owner of a DJI Mavic Mini SE 2 the only geofencing I have seen was around the local regional airport (expected) and the active wildfire zones (also expected) last summer. Is DJI overly restrictive? Is there some reason they shouldn't be abiding local restricted airspace or is there more to this? Honest question.

 

[USAFRet]

Admittedly I am somewhat ignorant of DJI geofencing in the US (But very aware of the China-US tension). As an owner of a DJI Mavic Mini SE 2 the only geofencing I have seen was around the local regional airport (expected) and the active wildfire zones (also expected) last summer. Is DJI overly restrictive? Is there some reason they shouldn't be abiding local restricted airspace or is there more to this? Honest question.

I live between an airbase an an airport.

I couldn't take a video of the roof of my house without permission from both the base and airport, and DJI central in China.
Every single time.

It literally would not lift off the ground.

If I lived elsewhere, it might not be so much of a problem.

I have a friend (pro photographer) that lives out in the country. He loves his DJI.

 

[Steve Somewhere]

The rather obvious problem here, which of course congress can't grasp with both hands covered in Krazy glue, is that DJI drones are generally acknowledged to be superior to their domestically made competition. Thus all this legislation does is deprive the US of superior Chinese drone technology with no ready replacement. Very much the proverbial cutting off of one's nose to spite one's face. This is an example of why Congress's approval is always dismal and always well earned by its abject stupidity.

 

[NinoPino]

I wish Tom's would stop writing articles about US sanctions all together.

Interesting, are you talking of censorship ?

It's always political and the comments always bash the US.

Well, the sanctions are political, so no wonder that articles referring to political aspects often have comments of political contents.

In this case I agree with you, because a lot of comments bash US the censorship is a good solution.

 

[35below0]

The rather obvious problem here, which of course congress can't grasp with both hands covered in Krazy glue, is that DJI drones are generally acknowledged to be superior to their domestically made competition. Thus all this legislation does is deprive the US of superior Chinese drone technology with no ready replacement. Very much the proverbial cutting off of one's nose to spite one's face. This is an example of why Congress's approval is always dismal and always well earned by its abject stupidity.

Yes, lets abandon this democracy and free society. I am sure we will like dictatorship. Safe bet we will like it...

What's obvious is this post is part of propaganda.

 

[DSzymborski]

This is not a battlefield; comment only on the specific subject of the DJI drone ban.

Also note that Tom's Hardware is not a government entity and this not a public forum.

 

[35below0]

This is not a battlefield; comment only on the specific subject of the DJI drone ban.

Also note that Tom's Hardware is not a government entity and this not a public forum.

It's impossible though. A politically charged article is going to draw in politically charged comments. If Tom's wants the views but not the comments, better disable them.

We have a post attacking congress, and undermining confidence in democratic form of government. If that doesn't deserve a rebuttal i don't know what does.
Congress (of all things) was what the post took aim at. Congress that does not domestically make drones, inferior or otherwise, as the post implies.

It's a post designed to shape public opinion, not an honest comment on the topic at all.
If discussing politics is against the forum rules, articles that get to close to politics should allow for some flexibility.