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Drone maker DJI will not be removed from the Department of Defense’s (DoD) list of Chinese military companies. DJI had been suing over the last year in an effort to be removed from the list.
The latest ruling came from US District Judge Paul Friedman. He said in his ruling, DJI “met three of the definitions of ‘military-civil fusion contributor’”. It says there is “substantial evidence” provided by the DoD that shows it “contributes to the Chinese defense industrial base.”
Friedman also said, “DJI acknowledges that its technology can and is used in military conflict but asserts that its policies prohibit such use.”
“Whether or not DJI’s policies prohibit military use is irrelevant. That does not change the fact that DJI’s technology has both substantial theoretical and actual military application.”
DJI first issued this lawsuit in October 2024 where it said it is “neither owned nor controlled by the Chinese military.” After the recent ruling, a DJI spokesperson told Reuters, “This decision was based on a single rationale that applies to many companies that have never been listed.”
It also said it was disappointed in the decision, but DJI has yet to comment on its next steps. Being on this list will continue to limit DJI’s business dealings in the US. It may mean some US companies will restrict interactions and deals with the company.
Judge Friedman also notes how “placement on the list prevents an entity from accessing certain “covered support,” which includes grants, contracts, loans and other programs.”
This ruling is separate to the issue of a possible US ban through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Drones manufactured by China must pass a national security risk assessment by Dec. 23, 2025 to continue to be sold in the US.
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If a brand doesn’t achieve that, it will then be banned from selling those products. DJI says it hasn’t been able to find anyone in the US government willing to talk about a security risk assessment.
Back in August, the brand’s head of global policy told Bloomberg, “We’ve been through the meat grinder on this issue, and we’re happy to put ourselves through the meat grinder again. We’d love to get to the point where we could actually have a conversation.”
DJI hasn’t shared anything further yet on its next steps of trying to avoid the ban. If it doesn’t manage to get anything across the line by December, it may soon become harder for you to buy a DJI drone.
Many of the company’s products are currently sold out at retailers, while the brand’s newest DJI Mini 5 Pro won’t get a US release.
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