The Senate Armed Services Committee has released its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which notably omits the demand to ban new DJI drones from entering the US market. The House passed its version of the bill last month with provisions to stop the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from issuing new licenses to DJI over national security concerns.
Featuring amendments from the Countering CCP Drones Act, the House version of the NDAA required the FCC to add DJI to its “Covered List.” If DJI is added to this list, the FCC would no longer be able to approve new equipment authorizations for DJI products or software in the US. The agency could also create a process to revoke existing authorizations, although that is highly unlikely.
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The Senate’s decision to exclude the ban from its version of the NDAA reflects a more cautious approach toward the issue. DJI drones are widely used across various sectors — including agriculture, infrastructure, and public safety — and a sudden prohibition could disrupt ongoing projects and impede progress in critical areas.
Recently, representatives of more than 6,000 public safety agencies, police, and fire departments with drone programs across the US wrote to the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee to oppose the inclusion of the Countering CCP Drones Act in the NDAA.
Despite the current reprieve, the future of DJI drones in the US remains uncertain. The Senate version will now head to the floor for consideration, and should it pass the full Senate, the House and Senate will need to reconcile their versions of the NDAA. This reconciliation process could result in the reintroduction of the ban or a compromise that imposes certain restrictions on DJI drones. The industry is closely monitoring these developments, with many companies preparing for various scenarios.
It’s worth highlighting that DJI has been the market leader and preferred choice for drone operators in the US for years. The company has consistently denied allegations of data security risks and emphasized the steps it has taken to address security concerns, going so far as to disable the option for US drone pilots to sync their flight records to DJI’s servers altogether.
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