The US wants to move beyond DJI drones, but can it?

Washington may want America to move beyond DJI, but one big question keeps hanging over the debate: who can realistically replace the company’s affordable, widely used drones at the same scale?

That question sits at the center of a filing submitted to the Federal Communications Commission by Unmanned Vehicle Technologies (UVT), one of the country’s largest drone dealers and public safety drone integrators.

Founded by Chris Fink out of a spare bedroom, UVT has grown into a nationwide operation with more than 45 employees and contractors spread across 13 states. And notably, the company says that growth was made possible in large part because affordable, capable drones from companies like DJI helped create an accessible commercial drone market in the first place.

But that doesn’t mean that the Arkansas-based company is dismissing national security concerns around Chinese technology. In fact, UVT repeatedly acknowledges the FCC’s responsibility to investigate cybersecurity and communications risks. But the company argues that any move to effectively freeze DJI out of the US market should be based on publicly verifiable evidence, not assumptions tied solely to the company’s Chinese origins.

And according to UVT, the consequences of getting this wrong could ripple across nearly every corner of America’s drone industry.

For years, DJI has dominated the global drone market by offering aircraft that are both cheaper and more capable than many competitors. UVT says that the advantage has helped fuel the growth of countless American drone businesses involved in infrastructure inspections, agriculture, mapping, surveying, construction, and media production. The company argues that many small and medium-sized drone operators simply would not exist without affordable DJI equipment.

Public safety agencies, UVT says, face the same reality. Fire departments, police agencies, and emergency management teams often operate with tight budgets, and DJI drones have become popular because they provide advanced capabilities like thermal imaging and real-time situational awareness at prices many departments can actually afford.

That point carries extra weight coming from a company deeply embedded in the public safety drone industry, with a front-row view into how agencies actually buy and deploy drone technology.

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The filing also takes aim at the idea that American manufacturers can quickly replace DJI if restrictions tighten further. According to UVT, the supply chain simply isn’t ready.

The company says many US drone manufacturers currently take more than 120 days to fulfill orders, while DJI products often arrive within one to three weeks, including shipping time. UVT warns that removing DJI from the market could create major supply shortages across commercial and emergency-response sectors simultaneously.

That could become especially problematic as agencies increasingly rely on drones for search-and-rescue missions, disaster response, tactical overwatch, and infrastructure inspections.

UVT also argues that DJI’s operational safety record deserves more attention in the debate. The company points to features now common on DJI drones, including obstacle avoidance systems, automated return-to-home technology, geofencing, and real-time telemetry monitoring. Based on its experience supporting thousands of operators, UVT says DJI aircraft have consistently proven reliable in the field.

Notably, the filing points out that the Federal Aviation Administration has not identified DJI drones as presenting elevated flight safety risks, despite their widespread use in American airspace under Part 107 rules.

But perhaps the filing’s biggest argument revolves around data security. UVT claims no US government agency has publicly demonstrated a confirmed case where DJI drones secretly transmitted sensitive user data to unauthorized parties or foreign governments. The company also highlights past cybersecurity audits and notes that DJI introduced features like “Local Data Mode,” which cuts internet connectivity during operations to prevent data transmission.

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The filing even raises an uncomfortable question for regulators: if DJI technology truly presents an unmanageable cybersecurity threat, why has the company previously received cryptographic recognition tied to federal standards?

Rather than an outright ban, UVT is urging regulators to adopt what it calls a more “risk-based framework.” That could mean stricter rules for sensitive government operations while allowing lower-risk commercial and public safety uses to continue with appropriate safeguards. The company is also asking regulators to preserve operational continuity for agencies and businesses already dependent on DJI fleets.

Ultimately, UVT’s message to the FCC is clear: America’s drone industry was largely built around affordable Chinese drone technology, and removing it without proven evidence of wrongdoing could create consequences far beyond politics.

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