The United States is just days away from a DJI drone ban, driven by a provision in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Section 1709 mandates that the US National Security Agency conduct a formal risk assessment of DJI (and Autel Robotics) by December 23, 2025. Despite DJI’s repeated requests for the audit, including formal letters to multiple agencies since early 2025, no agency has initiated or completed the review. If the deadline passes without action, DJI will automatically be added to the FCC’s “Covered List,” effectively blocking FCC authorization for new DJI products and halting their import and sale in the U.S.

⇒ This could be your last chance to get a DJI drone in the US:  check Amazon and B&H Photo for their current availability and pricing.

Existing DJI drones already in the U.S. will remain legal to own, fly, and use, with no immediate grounding. However, future access to new models, official parts, repairs, and firmware updates could become limited or unavailable.

This outcome stems from national security concerns over DJI’s Chinese origins, including fears of data transmission risks or ties to the Chinese government, allegations DJI has long denied, pointing to independent audits showing no backdoors and features like offline data modes. DJI dominates over 70% of the U.S. drone market, powering critical operations for public safety agencies (over 80% of law enforcement drone programs), farmers, filmmakers, and hobbyists. Critics warn that an automatic ban, driven by legislative inaction rather than evidence, could disrupt these users without affordable American alternatives ready to fill the gap.

DJI drones will be banned in the US next month – here is your last chance to get one (DJI Black Friday deals)

The latest DJI rumors

The post Getting closer to the DJI drone ban in the US appeared first on Photo Rumors.

Here is an updated list of upcoming/rumored DJI product announcements:

• DJI Avata 360 drone
• DJI Osmo Pocket 4
• DJI RS 5 gimbal
• DJI Power 1000 Mini
• DJI Lito X1 drone:

DJI drones will be banned in the US next month – here is your last chance to get one (DJI Black Friday deals)

The latest DJI leaks and rumors: Osmo Action 6 camera and Avata 360 drone coming next

Source: Igor Bogdanov

The post The latest DJI rumors appeared first on Photo Rumors.

DJI drones will be banned in the US next month. Here are the DJI Black Friday deals this year – probably the last chance to get a DJI drone in the US:

• Amazon – 20% off DJI Mini 3, Neo, Mini 4K
• B&H Photo – up to $2,600 off the DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Additional information on the DJI drone ban:

A federal ban on DJI drones in the US is set to trigger on December 23, 2025, unless a designated national security agency (such as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence) completes a mandated security audit beforehand. This deadline stems from Section 1709 of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed by Congress in December 2024. If the audit doesn’t happen, DJI (along with fellow Chinese manufacturer Autel Robotics) will be added to the FCC’s “Covered List,” prohibiting the import, sale, and FCC certification of new DJI products. Existing drones owned by consumers and businesses would likely remain usable, but repairs, parts, and software updates could become challenging.

State-level restrictions are already in place in some areas. For example, Florida implemented a ban on DJI drones for government use in 2024, leading to the seizure of equipment worth over $200 million and a switch to pricier US-made alternatives. Similar restrictions exist in states like Arkansas and Mississippi for public agencies, often driven by the same federal concerns.

Reasons for the Potential Ban

• Data Privacy and Espionage Risks: Fears that DJI drones could transmit sensitive flight data, images, or videos back to China via backdoors, enabling surveillance. This echoes restrictions on other Chinese tech companies, such as Huawei.
• Forced Labor and Subsidies: Accusations that DJI benefits from unfair state subsidies and supply chains involving forced labor in Xinjiang.
• Military/Combat Use: Claims that DJI tech could be repurposed for warfare, though DJI counters that it has never marketed military products and actively discourages combat applications.

DJI disputes these, emphasizing features like “Local Data Mode” (which disables internet connectivity) and offering full access for independent audits. The company argues the restrictions are politically motivated, benefiting U.S. competitors like Skydio (which holds only 5-10% market share) by creating a $1-2 billion domestic opportunity at the expense of innovation and affordability.

More Black Friday deals can be found here:

BLACK FRIDAY

The post DJI drones will be banned in the US next month – here is your last chance to get one (DJI Black Friday deals) appeared first on Photo Rumors.