FCC Bans Foreign-Made Drones Over National Security, Spying Concerns (politico.com)
- Reference: 0180441823
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/12/23/0036201/fcc-bans-foreign-made-drones-over-national-security-spying-concerns
- Source link: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/22/fcc-drone-ban-dji-00703742
> The tech was placed on the commission's "Covered List," barring DJI and other foreign drone manufacturers from receiving the FCC's approval to sell new drone models for import or sale in the U.S. In Monday's announcement, the agency said that the move "will reduce the risk of direct [drone] attacks and disruptions, unauthorized surveillance, sensitive data exfiltration and other [drone] threats to the homeland."
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> FCC Chair Brendan Carr [2]said in a statement that while drones offer the potential to boost public safety and the U.S.' posture on global innovation, "criminals, terrorists and hostile foreign actors have intensified their weaponization of these technologies, creating new and serious threats to our homeland."
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> The ruling comes as China hawks in Congress amplify warnings about the security risks of drones made by DJI, which accounts for more than 90% of the global market share. But efforts to crack down on Capitol Hill have been met with some pushback due to the potential impacts of curbing the drone usage on U.S. businesses and law enforcement. A wide variety of sectors, including construction, energy, agriculture and mining companies, as well as local police and fire departments across the country, deploy DJI-made drones.
[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/22/fcc-drone-ban-dji-00703742
[2] https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/2003179047438762084
Not just drones (Score:5, Insightful)
It's not just drones that are on the covered list -- its crucial parts of drones that also have other uses.
For example -- lithium polymer batteries, brushless DC motors, flight controllers, cameras and sensors as well as other stuff.
For the hobbyist who wants to fly RC planes and go drone-racing this is a disaster. I'm unaware of any (affordable) US-made lithium polymer batteries suitable for these applications and the vast majority of motors, flight controllers and cameras are imported.
This effectively shuts down the hobby because even if US companies eventually start making this stuff it will almost certainly prohibitively expensive -- beyond the reach of most hobbyists.
The reality is that this has far less to do with "national security" than it does ensuring that certain people's pockets get lined with cash. For instance -- how does a brushless motor made in the USA pose less of a security risk than one made in China, Germany or Australia? Likewise a plain, simple lithium-polymer battery without any electronics -- what's the security risk that such a product poses?
The hobby of RC model aircraft and drones was on a count-down to oblivion from the moment the Commerical Drone Alliance convinced politicians to revoke S336, a piece of law that protected the hobby from regulation. The CDA made it very clear that they wanted the skies cleared of pesky hobbyists so they could exploit it for financial gain and now those in power are using the "national security" card to disguise their true agenda. Nobody can complain about a restriction or ban if its saving the lives of American's... right?
Re:Not just drones (Score:4, Insightful)
But hey the alternative was a woman who laughed. Could you even imagine?
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I think most people think even a dead person is better than Trump.
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The Heritage Foundation is in charge. Trump is their useful idiot cult leader and they pull the strings.
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I guess the next US administration will have to reverse a ton of really demented decisions.
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The next admin will be doing nothing but repair.
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Clearly. And then the morons will vote for the other side again because they will have already forgotten who made the mess.
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> the next US administration
Optimist. For the first time in my life I'm seriously worried that there might not be a change in administrations in 2028.
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Something else to consider... Donald Trump Jr has millions of dollars in [1]Unusual Machines [unusualmachines.com] stock and also has a position on the board. UM is one of the companies that stands to benefit hugely from this ban, as commercial drone users are forced to find alternative sources for their equipment.
Parents like to take care of their children when they can, or so I'm told.
Also, this isn't a ban on imports from potentially enemy states such as China, it's a ban on imports from *all* countries -- including the USA's
[1] https://www.unusualmachines.com/
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The corruption runs deep with Trump Inc.
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> The reality is that this has far less to do with "national security" than it does ensuring that certain people's pockets get lined with cash.
Oh... I imagine it's more about "national security" in the sense of "keeping citizens from tracking what ICE is doing, and who they're doing it to" than lining anyone's pockets. Also "national security" in the sense of "making sure the citizenry don't have things that Ukraine has proved are easily weaponizable if/when there's serious civil disobedience."
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> lithium polymer batteries, brushless DC motors, flight controllers, cameras and sensors as well as other stuff.
I can (barely) understand controllers being banned over NS concerns. But some one please explain to me how a lithium polymer battery, or a brushless DC motor, or cameras can possible by subverted into a nuclear threat to the fatherland ... errrr country.
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Once ready to fly drones hit the market the RC hobby industry's exemptions were doomed to be revoked. Too many people treating them as toys and not a serious hobby. It's that simple.
For decades the RC hobbyists could keep themselves in check, mostly because everyone put effort into building their aircraft or vehicle so it was actually worth something to the owner. Now it's just toys pulled out of a box flying everywhere not really caring that a hobbyist segment earned the right to the exemption.
Okay, but you're not done yet (Score:2)
Now go after flock "safety" and all of its ill-conceived and awfully implemented brethren.
[1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU1-uiUlHTo/ [youtube.com]
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU1-uiUlHTo/
Are we tired of winning yet ? (Score:2)
First, the banning of all new offshore wind farm projects, for reasons of "national security".
Now, the banning of all drones made in China.
If I were paranoid, I would think that the US is preparing for war.
You wanted a narcissistic child-raping psychopath for president ? You truly believed that, among all the other possible democrat and republican presidential candidates, Trump was the lesser evil ?
You got what you wanted. You made your bed, now sleep in it.
Re: Hypocrisy (Score:1)
The rest of the world should ban US drones that have missles of course. There, I solved it.
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They're flying a lot fewer of them lately. Ansarallah in Yemen took out around 20% of the US's stock of Predator and Marauder drones over the course of the last few years, and several others have been downed by Iran, Russia, and others, plus there is attrition from old age and overuse since a lot of them were built in the 90s. China has embargoed many of the materials necessary to construct new ones as well, so as they're used up the inventory is going to keep diminishing.