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FCC Adds All Foreign Drones To Covered List, Plus DJI Mini 5 Pro Propeller Guard Leak
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. I only have two stories for you this week, although one is kind of a long one. The FCC adds all UAS and UAS critical components manufactured in a foreign country to the…
FCC Bans All Foreign Drones: Here’s What They Aren’t Telling You
The day we’ve all been dreading is finally here, but it came with a pretty big unexpected surprise that I don’t think anybody was expecting. Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, recently announced that the FCC has added…
DJI Responds to FCC Ban: ‘Not Grounded in Evidence’
DJI has issued its first official response to the FCC’s decision to add foreign-made drones to the Covered List, calling the action “disappointing” and accusing the administration of protectionism rather than legitimate security enforcement. In a statement provided to DroneXL,…
FCC Bans All Foreign And DJI Drones: America Just Made Itself Weaker, Not Safer
We’ve been tracking the December 23 deadline for months, expecting DJI to land on the FCC’s Covered List through bureaucratic default. What the FCC actually did today goes far beyond anything we predicted. They didn’t just ban DJI. They banned…
New C-UAS Authority, SkyeBrowse Update, Drone Delivers Life Jacket, Pilot Pleads Guilty
Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. I have four stories for you this week that every pilot needs to know about. Police just got new counter-drone authority with a bill that President Trump signed into law yesterday. SkyeBrowse released…
DJI Interview Reveals Section 1709’s ‘Trap Door’ Design Guarantees Ban
I’ve been covering DJI’s regulatory battles for years, and this might be the most revealing interview yet. DJI’s Head of Global Policy Adam Welsh sat down with YouTuber Faruk from iPhonedo to explain exactly why the December 23 deadline will…
NDAA 2026: Local Police to Gain New Powers to Take Down Your Drone
We’ve tracked counter-drone legislation for years, but the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) changes everything for every drone pilot in America. The bill passed the House 312-112 on December 10 and awaits final Senate action this week before…
DJI Makes Final Push for Security Audit Before Automatic Ban Triggers
We’ve been tracking DJI’s fight for a fair security review since Congress passed Section 1709 of the 2025 NDAA last December. Today, with just 13 days remaining until the December 23 deadline, DJI shared with DroneXL what may be its…
DJI Ban Fact-Check: Industry Veteran Debunks Viral Myths Ahead of December 23 Deadline
Your DJI drone won’t stop flying on December 23. That’s the core message on the DJI Ban from Vic Moss, President of the Drone Service Providers Alliance, in a new fact-check video aimed at combating the fear and misinformation spreading…
FBI Seeks AI-Powered Surveillance Drones With Facial Recognition As Police Departments Rapidly Expand Warrantless Aerial Monitoring
The FBI is actively seeking to equip surveillance drones with artificial intelligence capabilities including facial recognition, license plate readers, and weapon detection systems, according to federal procurement documents published by The Intercept Thursday. The move comes as approximately 1,500 US…
No Audit, No Agency, No Due Process: DJI Reveals Why December 23 Ban Will Happen By Default
DJI published its most comprehensive public statement addressing the looming U.S. market ban, confirming that no federal agency has begun the security audit mandated by Congress—despite the company requesting the review nine months ago. With just 30 days until the…
UK’s Chinese EV Ban Mirrors America’s DJI Drone Crackdown. Western Security Theater Goes Global
The playbook American lawmakers perfected against DJI drones is crossing the Atlantic. The UK Ministry of Defence is considering a blanket ban on Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles for military personnel, citing surveillance concerns over built-in cameras and microphones—the exact same argument…