Chinese DJI drones get temporary reprieve, may still be banned

The world’s largest drone manufacturer, Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), will have another year to convince US defense agencies that its products do not pose a threat to US national security.

The Chinese company faced an immediate ban on the use of its products if the US Senate included language from the Chinese Communist Party’s anti-drone law, which Pass The House of Representatives in September passed its final version of the National Defense Authorization Act. But the Senate instead chose to grant DJI and Autel Robotics, another Chinese company that makes drones, a temporary reprieve.

The National Defense Authorization Act, which the Senate overwhelmingly approved on Wednesday, now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature. It includes a provision directing “the appropriate National Security Agency” to examine DJI and Autel products– Including drones and any other communications or video surveillance equipment –To determine whether they pose a danger to the United States

The agency has one year from enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act to make its decision. If it determines that the companies’ products pose a threat, the FCC will be required to place those products on what is called a covered list, which prohibits the marketing and sale of certain devices. Owners of DJI and Autel products will still be able to use devices they purchased before the companies were added to the covered list.

With the exception of Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, all equipment currently on the covered list comes from Chinese tech giants, such as Huawei, ZTE Corporation, Hytera Communications, Hikvision, Dahua Technology, China Mobile International, China Telecom Americas Corporation, and Pacific Networks. Corporation, China Unicom Americas.

In a blog post, DJI said it was good news that the anti-drone CCP was not included in the National Defense Authorization Act, but “the legislation unfairly targets drones manufactured in China and does not designate an agency to conduct the required risk study.” The company said that if no agency assumes this responsibility, DJI products will be automatically added to the covered list.

Even if someone comes forward to conduct the review, several relevant US defense agencies have already taken tough stances against Chinese-made drones.

“The Department of Defense’s position is that systems produced by Da Jiang Innovations (DJI) pose potential threats to national security,” the Department of Defense wrote in a statement. Statement 2021 Stressing that military authorities are not allowed to use the company’s equipment.

Earlier this year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a report Joint memorandum Warning that the Chinese government could collect sensitive information about Americans and the country’s infrastructure through drone equipment manufactured in China.

In addition to those security concerns, politicians have also targeted DJI for its market dominance. by most EstimatesDJI has controlled at least 70 percent of the U.S. drone market for several years.

In calling for the passage of the Chinese Communist Party’s Anti-Drone Act, the bill’s sponsor, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), said, “It is strategically irresponsible to allow Communist China to be our drone manufacturer.”