The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to add PRC drone manufacturers DJI and Autel to its Covered List was a necessary step to address long-standing national security vulnerabilities in a technology sector vital to public safety, infrastructure protection, and America’s leadership in robotics and autonomy. The move reflects years of bipartisan concern and findings from multiple U.S. intelligence and security agencies about market distortions and vulnerabilities associated with PRC-manufactured systems.

The FCC’s action extended beyond what was anticipated to be a targeted, PRC-focused approach to include all foreign-made drones and drone components. AUVSI supported placing specific PRC manufacturers on the Covered List based on national security risk, but our advocacy was limited to that scope and did not extend to restrictions applying to all foreign-made UAS or UAS critical components.

Expanding the scope beyond identified PRC risks raises concerns for American and allied industry, including potential impacts on trusted supply chains, collaboration, and the pace of U.S. manufacturing and innovation. AUVSI will continue working with federal partners to ensure implementation remains narrowly tailored to genuine security threats, advancing American Drone Dominance while also supporting allied partnerships and domestic production capacity. Our democratic allies and partners are essential to building scale, resilience, experience, and a shared technological advantage.

Why DJI and Autel were added

For years, U.S. intelligence agencies and bipartisan leaders in Congress have warned that PRC-manufactured drones pose unique risks: remote access to sensitive data, supply-chain leverage, and the strategic danger of allowing a single for…