FCC Removes Millions of Chinese Electronics Listings as DJI Faces December Ban Deadline

The Federal Communications Commission announced today that major U.S. online retailers have removed millions of product listings for prohibited Chinese electronics—a move that could preview what’s coming for DJI drones in just 74 days.

While today’s FCC action targets telecom equipment and security cameras from Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision, the enforcement mechanism is identical to what DJI faces if no federal agency completes a mandatory security audit by December 23, 2025.

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What’s Being Removed From Retailers

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in an interview with Reuters that the removed items are “either on a U.S. list of barred equipment or were not authorized by the agency, including items like security cameras and phones from companies like Huawei and ZTE.” Carr added that companies are “putting new processes in place to prevent future prohibited items” from appearing on their platforms.

The FCC will vote October 28 to further tighten restrictions on telecommunications equipment containing component parts from Covered List companies.

Notably absent from today’s announcement: drones. But that doesn’t mean drone pilots can relax.

DJI’s December 23 Deadline Approaches With No Audit

Section 1709 of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act mandates that a U.S. national security agency must determine whether DJI poses an unacceptable risk by December 23, 2025. If no agency completes the review—and none have confirmed they’re conducting one—DJI will automatically be added to the FCC’s Covered List.

That would block new DJI products from receiving FCC authorization, effectively ending new drone sales in the U.S. market.

Unlike the Huawei and ZTE products being removed today, DJI drones remain available on Amazon, Costco, B&H Photo, and Adorama. However, inventory has tightened significantly as the deadline approaches, with DJI’s official U.S. store showing most models as “sold out.”

Shell Companies Proliferate as Workaround Strategy

As political pressure intensifies, DJI has accelerated a shell company strategy that mirrors today’s enforcement challenge. Companies like Skyany, Skyrover, Cogito, Jovistar, and Fikaxo are selling DJI-designed drones manufactured in Malaysia under alternative brand names.

The Skyany X1, which appeared on Amazon this week, is essentially a rebranded DJI Mini 4 Pro retailing for $758—currently available with Prime shipping. Security researcher Konrad Iturbe has documented at least nine suspected DJI shell companies submitting FCC applications since March 2024.

These workarounds raise questions about whether the FCC’s enforcement approach—which Carr confirmed is targeting “previously authorized Covered List equipment in specific cases”—could eventually sweep up shell company drones using DJI technology and OcuSync frequencies.

What This Means for Drone Pilots

Today’s FCC action demonstrates that Covered List enforcement is accelerating, not hypothetical. For drone operators considering DJI purchases, the December 23 deadline represents a hard cutoff for new product authorizations.

Existing DJI drones with FCC licenses won’t be retroactively banned, but firmware updates, replacement parts, and technical support could become limited if DJI joins Huawei and ZTE on the Covered List.

DroneXL’s Take

We’ve been tracking DJI’s regulatory challenges since the NDAA passed in December 2024, and today’s FCC announcement isn’t about drones—yet. But it’s a preview of the enforcement mechanism that could hit the drone industry in 74 days.

The Huawei playbook is instructive: their phones weren’t bricked or deactivated when added to the Covered List in 2019. They simply couldn’t launch new products in the U.S. market. Existing devices continue working years later, though without official updates or support.

DJI’s shell company strategy shows the drone giant is preparing for this scenario, but whether Malaysian-manufactured “alternatives” can withstand FCC scrutiny remains uncertain. The bigger question is whether any federal agency will actually conduct the mandated security review, or if DJI will default onto the Covered List simply because no one stepped up to do the work.

What’s clear: The clock is ticking, and today’s FCC enforcement against Huawei and ZTE shows the agency isn’t bluffing about Covered List compliance. Drone pilots planning significant DJI purchases should factor December 23 into their decision-making.

What do you think? Will DJI’s shell companies survive regulatory scrutiny? Share your thoughts in the comments below.