Market-leading drone manufacturer DJI has filed a lawsuit challenging a December 2025 decision from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to add foreign-made drones and critical components to its Covered List. New products and components from DJI, which is based in China, are included in this decision. The suit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on February 20.

In a statement, a DJI spokesperson called the decision to list DJI’s products on the Covered List “procedurally and substantively flawed.” The statement continued to say that the listing causes “great harm” to the company and its customers, and that it “carelessly restricts DJI’s business in the U.S. and summarily denies U.S. customers access to its latest technology.”

While the FCC’s addition of products from DJI and other foreign companies to its Covered List does not apply to existing models that have previously been approved, DJI’s filing states that the FCC has “used the Ruling as a justification to severely restrict DJI’s ability to import its existing products, as well as new products outside the scope of the Ruling, into the United States.” 

The filing, which was submitted by former FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc and former U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar as counsel for DJI, requests that the 9th Circuit “hold unlawful, vacate, enjoin, and set aside the Ruling and grant any other relief that the Court finds proper.”

This lawsuit has the potential to have a significant impact on the commercial drone sector in the United States, though any final result is likely to be months or even years away. DJI is the leading drone manufacturer in nearly every vertical, both in the U.S. and abroad, and its addition to the Covered List has sent waves through the industry as professionals try to figure out how to roadmap for their future fleet needs. 

Additionally, other foreign manufacturers will be watching this suit to see how the result could affect their ability to market, import, and sell new products in the U.S. It’s worth noting some paths to exemption from this decision have already been announced by the FCC, though DJI does not qualify for them. 

The full statement from a DJI spokesperson is below. 

“DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, is challenging the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to prohibit DJI from marketing, selling, and importing new products into the United States. To protect its business and American consumers who rely on its products, DJI has filed a petition for review in the Ninth Circuit, contesting the FCC’s addition of DJI’s communications and video surveillance equipment to the Commission’s “Covered List.”

As outlined in the petition, the decision to list DJI’s products is procedurally and substantively flawed. The FCC can add products to the Covered List only when they present a national security threat, yet it has never identified any threat associated with DJI or its products. Despite repeated efforts to engage with the government, DJI has never been given the chance to provide information to address or refute any concerns. These procedural and substantive deficiencies violate the Constitution and federal law.

The listing also causes great harm to DJI and its customers.  It carelessly restricts DJI’s business in the U.S. and summarily denies U.S. customers access to its latest technology, while users elsewhere continue to benefit. Americans across industries—including small business owners, public safety officers, farmers, and creators—have been and will continue to be affected, losing access to the tools they rely on to make a living and save lives.

DJI takes the security of its products very seriously.  The company has long advocated for independent, objective review of its products. As part of our commitment to the U.S. market and our customers across numerous industries, we will continue to engage constructively with the FCC and other stakeholders.”