DJI saved from US ban in the new National Defense Authorization Act

DJI’s been struggling of late. Not for the usual reasons businesses struggle. Their issue is not financial. Their issue is regulatory. The US Government – or at least parts of it – seems intent on banning DJI products from the USA. It looked like things were going that way, too, but they might be about to change.

The Senate has released its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA). DJI says that the Act doesn’t include provisions that would impact using DJI products in the USA. But it might not be enough to save DJI just yet.

 

 

 

 

 

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DJI’s troubles might be coming to an end…

I’ve detailed DJI’s issues before when the US Government initially kicked off its war on DJI with the release of the Countering CCP Drones Act CCCPDA) and its version of the NDAA. The allegations made in the act were addressed by DJI, but that didn’t stop things from passing through to the House.

This isn’t the first time DJI’s had issues with US government agencies and the military. They’ve had drones banned before for security issues. The US Army banned DJI drones way back in 2017, citing “cyber vulnerabilities”. And in 2022, the US Department of Defense blacklisted the company as a “Chinese military company”.

The company’s current main issue is going to be coming to a head soon, though, one way or the other. Now that the House and Senate versions of FY25 NDAA are both out, it’s about as close to a law as it gets before actually becoming law. But things are not yet quite final.

DJI announced the latest developments via an Instagram post. They explain what’s going to happen next.

The Senate FY25 NDAA will be scheduled for floor consideration soon, and there is still a chance that the Countering CCCP Drones Act (CCCPDA) might get added as a floor amendment at that point.

The House and Senate versions of the FY25 NDAA will also be sent to a conference committee to reconcile their differences. Because the CCCPDA appears in the House version, even if it is not in the Senate version, the issue is not dead. Negotiators could still agree to include the CCCPDA in the final bill that gets sent to the President.

It’s not over yet

So, as DJI says, it could still go either way. There are two versions of FY25 NDAA that will need to be reconciled before it gets put before the President. This means the House will make some concessions, as will the Senate. And while the Senate version doesn’t include any mention of DJI, that doesn’t mean that part of the House’s version won’t get through.

It’s a glimmer of hope for DJI and its customers. Hopefully, it’s one that manages to make it through. The consequences of an outright ban wouldn’t be great for either DJI or its customers.

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