In less than five months, DJI drones could be officially grounded here in the United States, amidst escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
By Dec. 23, all drones manufactured in China are required to undergo a national security risk assessment, and as of mid-July, Chinese drone maker DJI said it’s received no indication this review has even begun.
And while DJI drones haven’t been officially banned in the United States, the company told Mashable it’s having trouble importing its drones into the United States. The looming threat of a ban has already caused a frenzy. Retail supply is thinning out fast, resellers are cashing in, and DJI’s entire product line is listed as “Out of stock” at the company’s online store.
But does this signal the end of DJI’s presence in the U.S. drone market?
Not quite. At least, not yet.
Why are DJI drones so hard to find in stock?
In June, the Trump administration signed two executive orders aimed at boosting the domestic drone industry and curbing potential “malicious drone activity.” But the orders stopped short of directly banning DJI or other China-based manufacturers.
The real threat to DJI’s presence in the U.S. market lies in the fine print of the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed in December 2024. The act mandates a formal national security review of Chinese-made drones. If the government fails to complete that review within one year, the provision could automatically trigger a ban on DJI drones by the end of 2025.
So, while DJI drones are still legal to sell in the U.S. — for now — the clock is ticking. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, DJI formally requested an audit of its operations and stated its full willingness to cooperate.
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“DJI is confident that its products can withstand your strictest scrutiny,” wrote Adam Welsh, the company’s Head of Global Policy. “We are confident not only because we have nothing to hide, but because independent firms and other US government agencies have repeatedly validated and confirmed that DJI’s products are secure.”
However, in a July 16 blog post, the company stated, “Since the start of this year, there has been no formal indication that the mandated review process has started.” The company also wrote, “there is a real risk that new DJI drones would be prevented from entering the U.S. market — not because of any proven risk, but simply due to compressed timelines or politically motivated decisions.”
However, DJI may already be facing an unofficial ban.
DJI recently claimed to The Verge that CBP is “blocking many of its drones from entering the United States.” And in a statement to Mashable, the company acknowledged it’s having problems importing drones.
Mashable reached out multiple times — via calls and emails — to U.S. Customs and Border Protection press officers for comment but received no response.
In response to Mashable’s questions, a DJI spokesperson provided this statement: “DJI remains committed to the U.S. market and making our products available to our U.S.-based customers. Current market conditions and policies have made it more challenging to stock and import drones. We are actively working to address and mitigate any influences and uncertainties, and to ensure products are accessible to our customers soon.”
Calls to ban DJI drones in the U.S. go back to at least 2017, driven by data privacy concerns surrounding Chinese-made technology. Over the years, the federal government has floated various restrictions on DJI drones in particular, culminating in the Commerce Department adding DJI to its blacklist in 2020 during President Trump’s first term — a move that marked one of the earliest official efforts to curtail the company’s reach in the U.S. market.
Can you still buy and fly DJI drones?
Yes, as we stated previously, you can still purchase DJI drones — if you can get your hands on one. As of this writing, Amazon still has several popular DJI drones in stock, though only from third-party resellers. DJI’s entire drone inventory remains out of stock at its official online store and most retailers.
Buying products from third-party resellers can be risky, and these sellers may charge a premium as supply dwindles.
Interestingly, DJI may have a plan B for the U.S. market. The Verge found a drone for sale at Amazon that’s nearly identical in every way to a DJI drone. It even has a very similar app, though under a different name. Except for the yellow paint job, the Skyrover X1 drone clearly resembles a DJI product.
