Chinese drone-maker DJI sues to overturn FCC foreign drone ban

Chinese drone maker DJI has filed a lawsuit against the FCC challenging the December 2025 decision that effectively banned all foreign drones and components from the US market. DJI and all other foreign drone makers were added to the FCC’s “covered list” of equipment and services that the agency says “pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States”.

In a lawsuit filed with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, DJI argues that the company is “severely harmed” by the ruling, and seeks review of the decision:

“The FCC exceeded its statutory authority, failed to observe statutorily required procedures, and violated the Fifth Amendment when it purported to add DJI’s products to the Covered List.”

In a statement to Sherwood, a DJI spokesperson said:

The FCC can add products to the Covered List only when they present a national security threat, yet it has never identified any threat associated with DJI or its products. Despite repeated efforts to engage with the government, DJI has never been given the chance to provide information to address or refute any concerns. These procedural and substantive deficiencies violate the Constitution and federal law.

The FCC decision has cleared the way for the nascent US drone industry just as the US military urgently races to catch up in the race to acquire drones.