As is often the case with today’s US government, the FCC has decided that the safest drone is a domestic drone. As of Monday, the FCC announced a ban on new foreign-made drones and drone components. The reasoning is vague, citing nebulous “national security risks” and officially adding them to its “Covered List” of prohibited communications equipment.
The move follows a mandated review from last year’s defense bill, which asked federal agencies to take a hard look at whether foreign-made drones (which really just means Chinese-made drones, because the United States must have an enemy at all times) could pose risks to U.S. security. The FCC says the answer was yes.
In a fact sheet, the agency warned that drones built abroad could threaten U.S. airspace and public safety, especially at massive upcoming events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the America250 celebrations.
How? Don’t know. I don’t even think they know. But they imagined it, therefore it’s a possibility.
To be clear, this isn’t a mass grounding. Drones already purchased are still legal to use, and retailers can continue selling models that were previously approved. That right there lets you know that all this is just a load of bullshit. If there were an actual national security risk, they would be trying to take away the ones you already have in addition to preventing you from getting new ones.
There’s also wiggle room: the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense can grant exemptions for specific new drones if they’re deemed safe. Either way, getting a new, foreign-made drone into the United States is going to be much, much more difficult for the foreseeable future.
This crackdown has been years in the making. The U.S. Army banned DJI drones back in 2017 over cybersecurity concerns, and DHS later warned internally that Chinese-made drones might be collecting sensitive data and sending it back to manufacturers. Now, those long-simmering fears have turned into formal policy.
Unfortunately for government regulators, drones are no longer a niche gadget. They’re used as often by police departments as they are by drone racers, real estate agents, filmmakers, farmers, or just parent and their child at the park, zipping one around as a bonding activity. They are what RC cars used to be, just with a bit more practical functionality.
The foreign-made brand that will be most impacted by the ban is the aforementioned DJI, a Chinese drone company that by itself accounts for 70 to 90 percent of all drones sold in the United States. While US drone makers are thrilled, hobbyists who actually care about the quality of product on sale are fuming, since they obviously don’t want to be pigeonholed into buying what they view as inferior American-made drones.
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