DJI to U.S. government: Dont ban us, answer us
As the holiday season approaches, a significant deadline looms for DJI, the world’s leading drone manufacturer, which produces approximately 90% of global drones. The Trump administration has set a December 23 deadline for DJI to undergo a government audit to ensure its compliance with U.S. security standards. Without this audit, DJI will be placed on the FCC’s “Covered list,” effectively banning the sale of its drones in the United States. This situation has left the company in a precarious position, as it has not received any response from the administration regarding the scheduling of this crucial audit, despite its willingness to cooperate. DJI has previously undergone various independent audits, including one from the Department of the Interior, which it hopes will bolster its case for a timely review.
In a bid to expedite the process and highlight the urgency of the situation, DJI has resorted to sending open letters to key figures in the Trump administration, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Department of Defense head Pete Hegseth. These letters emphasize the company’s commitment to security and the importance of completing the Congressionally-mandated security review. Adam Welsh, DJI’s head of global policy, articulated the potential fallout from a ban, stating that it would not only confuse consumers but also deprive American drone users—particularly farmers who rely on drone technology—of essential tools and information regarding product safety. Welsh asserted that the company’s technology is secure, citing features that prevent flight logs and images from being stored on external servers unless users choose to do so.
As the deadline approaches, the silence from the administration raises concerns about the future of DJI in the U.S. market. Past claims from the Department of Defense have suggested, without substantial evidence, that DJI operates as a Chinese military entity, further complicating the narrative. The outcome of this audit and the administration’s response could have significant implications for consumers and the drone industry as a whole, potentially marking a turning point in the relationship between U.S. regulatory bodies and foreign technology companies. With the holiday season fast approaching, the stakes are high for DJI, and the looming ban could indeed feel like a Grinch-like theft of holiday cheer for drone enthusiasts and users across the nation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zqYWQmUNbY
Is the Trump administration about to be the Grinch that stole sales of most drones just before Christmas?
There’s a
Dec. 23 deadline looming for DJI
, which makes 90 percent of the world’s drones, to pass an audit from the U.S. government. Without an audit, U.S. law says DJI will go on the FCC’s naughty list — sorry, Covered list — effectively a ban on further U.S. sales.
DJI has long said it is happy to schedule the new U.S. audit; after all, the company has years of independent audits (and a Department of the Interior audit) under its belt. But with no reply from anyone in the Trump administration three weeks before deadline, DJI drones look like they will be left high and dry.
That’s why DJI just took the desperate step of sending open letters to Homeland Security head Kristi Noem, FBI boss Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Department of Defense (or is that War?) chief Pete Hegseth — whom they’d written to multiple times privately.
“In September you indicated through written communication the Department’s willingness to work with DJI,” the letter to Noem says. (Translation:
we’ve got the receipts
.) “We stand behind the security of our technology, and are keen to meet with you and ensure that this Congressionally-mandated security review takes place as soon as possible so you can fulfill your commitment.”
SEE ALSO:
Everything we know about the looming DJI drone ban in the United States
Adam Welsh, DJI head of global policy, ticked off all the ways DJI drones are safe — flight logs don’t go on servers, images and videos aren’t backed up to servers unless the user wants, and there’s a “local data” mode that cuts all connection between the drone and the internet.
With an eye to outraged consumers — especially farmers who use drone technology — Welsh wrote that a ban “would lead to widespread consumer confusion and deprive American drone users of due process — and of answers about the safety and security of the DJI products they use every day. Failing to undertake the review further goes against Congressional intent for a security review to be completed.”
The administration hasn’t commented on the open letters yet, but in the past, Hegseth’s department has claimed — without evidence — that DJI is a Chinese military company.
