By Micah Jonah
February 25, 2026
Chinese drone manufacturer, DJI has filed a lawsuit challenging the Federal Communications Commission decision to bar imports of all its new models and critical components in the United States. The ban also applies to products from Autel, another China-based drone maker.
DJI stated that the FCC decision “carelessly restricts DJI’s business in the U.S. and summarily denies U.S. customers access to its latest technology.” The company has challenged the ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
The December FCC order prevents DJI, Autel, and other foreign drone companies from obtaining the required approval to sell new models of drones or critical components in the U.S. Existing versions may continue to be sold. The FCC did not immediately comment on the lawsuit.
Congress in December 2024 had instructed that DJI and Autel be added to a banned list within one year unless a security review deemed sales appropriate. The move represents an escalation in Washington’s efforts to regulate Chinese-made drones.
DJI is represented in the case by Travis LeBlanc, former FCC enforcement bureau chief, and former U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar. In January, the FCC exempted some new models of foreign-made drones from the import ban until the end of 2026, but Chinese drones were not included.
In September 2025, a U.S. judge rejected DJI’s request to be removed from the Defense Department list of companies allegedly linked to Beijing’s military. DJI accounts for more than half of all commercial drones sold in the U.S.
Chinese manufacturer, Hikvision also filed a lawsuit in December challenging the FCC’s decision that blocked new approvals for devices containing parts from companies on its Covered List, allowing the agency to bar previously approved equipment in some cases.
