DOC Investigation, Expedited Audit, Amendment to Audit, New FAA Admin, 3 New DJI Drones

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have five stories for you this week: the Department of Commerce launching an investigation into UAS and component imports, lawmakers calling for an expedited audit of DJI and Autel, Representative Stefanik introducing an amendment to audit all Chinese drones, a new FAA administrator, and DJI releasing three new Agras drones. This week’s “drones for good” story highlights these agricultural drones. Let’s dive in.

Commerce Department Launches National Security Investigation

The U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated a Section 232 National Security Investigation under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, focusing on drones and their components, particularly from Chinese manufacturers. This probe will assess whether reliance on foreign-made drones weakens the U.S. supply chain or exposes sensitive data. A 21-day comment period is open, primarily aimed at manufacturers, but home builders can also participate. Check the link in the description for details. Note that this investigation is separate from the audit discussed next.

Lawmakers Push for DJI and Autel Audit

A group of House Republicans, including Elise Stefanik, John Moolenaar, and Rick Crawford, sent a letter to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), urging a fast-tracked national security audit of DJI and Autel Robotics within 30 days. This request ties to a provision in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which mandates that DJI and Autel be placed on the FCC’s covered list by December 23, 2025, unless cleared by the audit. If the ODNI finds “unacceptable risk,” these companies could face swift regulatory action, including placement on the FCC entity list, blocking future FCC licenses for their drones. DJI has denied ties to the Chinese military, and a 2022 Pentagon audit found no malicious code in their government-edition drones. However, lawmakers argue that audit was limited and outdated. The 30-day timeline is aggressive, especially since a prior Trump-era executive order’s 30-day audit remains incomplete. For more thoughts, join our Postflight discussion on the premium community (link in description).

Stefanik Proposes Broader Chinese Drone Audit

Representative Elise Stefanik introduced an amendment to the 2026 NDAA, proposing that all Chinese drone manufacturers undergo the same security audit as DJI and Autel. This amendment, still under consideration, sets a January 1, 2027, deadline. Failure to pass the audit could result in these manufacturers being added to the FCC entity list, similar to the DJI and Autel scenario.

New FAA Administrator Confirmed

The Senate confirmed Brian Bedford, former CEO of Republic Airways, as the new FAA administrator with a 53-43 vote. Bedford faces significant challenges, including modernizing the national air traffic control system and integrating drones into the national airspace under BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) rules. Congress approved a $12.5 billion modernization plan, which Bedford is now tasked with implementing. Best of luck to him—this is a critical role for aviation and drone integration.

DJI Releases Three New Agras Drones

DJI introduced three agricultural drones to the global market (excluding the U.S.): the Agras T100, T70P, and T25P, each tailored to different farming scales. The Agras T100, a “flying tractor,” carries a 100-liter spray payload and 100-liter spread capacity, with a top speed of 20 m/s, doubling the efficiency of its predecessor. The T70P, designed for midsize farms, has a 70-liter spray capacity and 100-liter spread capacity, featuring DJI’s Safety System 3.0 with millimeter-wave radar and a tri-vision system for enhanced obstacle avoidance. The T25P, built for smaller or complex plots like orchards, is compact and foldable, with a 20 kg payload and a 16-liter-per-minute spray rate, offering adjustable droplet sizes (50–500 micrometers) for precise application. Launched in China last year, this global rollout signals DJI’s commitment to the agricultural sector worldwide, except in the U.S.

Wrapping Up

On Postflight, our premium show, we’ll discuss these stories and highlight the Flight Cart 30, a drone collecting trash on Mount Everest—another “drones for good” story. No live show this Monday due to travel to Oshkosh, but we’ll return next Friday with another update. In the meantime, fly safe, don’t be reckless, and contact your representative to share your perspective.