US Government

Buying an imported drone in the US could soon become much more expensive. The Trump administration has announced sweeping new tariffs on imported drones and drone components, with duties reaching as high as 100% for certain products. While the move is aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and reducing US dependence on foreign suppliers, it could also have ripple effects for businesses, public safety agencies, and even recreational drone pilots.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro isn’t a military drone. And the Air 3S certainly isn’t something most people would associate with the battlefield. Yet these, and several other popular DJI drone models, could potentially get caught in the Federal Communications Commission’s latest drone crackdown.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has expanded the list of aircraft exempt from its sweeping foreign-drone import restrictions, marking another sign that federal regulators are willing to make targeted exceptions even as the broader crackdown remains in place.

When the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) effectively placed nearly all foreign-produced drones on its national security “Covered List” late last year, many drone pilots feared the door was closing on a huge portion of the industry. Instead, a different story is now emerging.

For years, millions of Americans who use DJI drones have been hearing the same warning on repeat: these drones could be a national security threat. Now, DJI has fired back with what may become one of the most explosive documents in the entire US drone ban debate.

If DJI and Autel Robotics drones truly pose an immediate national security threat, then why are thousands of them still flying over America every single day?

The clock is ticking for American drone users who want their voices heard in one of the biggest drone policy battles the US has ever seen.

Just when it looked like tech giant DJI might finally get a real shot at pushing back against the US government’s crackdown on foreign-made drones, the Pentagon has stepped in — and slammed the door shut a little harder.

The Federal Communications Commission is making its next big move in the race to dominate drone technology, and it’s tying that push directly to President Donald Trump’s national strategy for what officials are calling “American drone dominance.”

Fly your drone in the wrong place in the US, and it could cost you more than just your gear. It could hit your wallet with fines exceeding $100,000, and even land you behind bars.

The United States has exempted four foreign-made drones from its sweeping import ban. See the latest additions to a list that’s quietly getting longer…

After filing its appeal in federal court, drone maker DJI is now laying out why it believes the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to blacklist the company is unlawful, harmful, and unsupported by evidence. In comments shared with DroneDJ, a DJI spokesperson said the company is “challenging the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to prohibit DJI from marketing, selling, and importing new products into the United States.”

The world’s largest drone manufacturer is once again taking the US government to court, marking a definitive escalation in a long-running saga of national security, trade protectionism, and technological dominance. DJI has formally filed an appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The petition targets a December 23, 2025, decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to place the company on its “covered list” — a move that effectively bans the authorization and sale of all new DJI drone models in the United States.

The US Department of Defense has quietly kicked off a six-month, $100 million competition that sounds like science fiction: build autonomous drone swarms that can take spoken commands and turn them into coordinated battlefield action.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has slapped a major lawsuit on Anzu Robotics — the very company that just announced its flagship Raptor drone has been discontinued because of component shortages. What looked like a supply-chain stumble has now blown up into a full-blown national security story.

Air travelers in West Texas went to bed Tuesday night with no warning, and woke up to find a major American airport effectively shut down. In a move that stunned local officials, airlines, and even parts of the federal government, the Federal Aviation Administration abruptly halted flights in and out of El Paso International Airport late Tuesday, citing “special security reasons.” The 10-mile airspace restriction — stretching up to 18,000 feet — was initially set to last 10 days. Instead, it lasted about seven and a half hours. By sunrise Wednesday, flights were back on schedule. But the questions were just beginning.

If you fly a DJI drone, here’s the answer you actually came for: yes, your drone can still receive firmware updates in the US. And yes, that was very much in doubt until now.

If you’re a US drone pilot trying to figure out whether DJI drones are banned, unbanned, half-banned, or just politically inconvenient, you’re not alone. In the latest twist, the US Department of Commerce has quietly withdrawn its proposed rules to restrict Chinese-made drones, even as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues enforcing a sweeping ban on new foreign-made drone models, including those from DJI.

In a surprising twist to what was widely described as a sweeping ban on new foreign-made drones, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now carved out significant exceptions that allow certain imported drones and critical components to continue entering the US market through the end of 2026.

After the US government moved to effectively block new foreign-made drones from entering the American market, DJI has spoken out, pushing back on the decision and stressing that current customers and ongoing operations remain unaffected.

After a White House-led national security review flagged foreign-made drones as a risk, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) is backing the Federal Communications Commission’s move that blocks new foreign drones from entering the US market.