The DJI-pocalypse
The United States Government has declared was on Chinese drone manufacturer DJI.
If you are unfamiliar with the company, DJI is the pre-eminent drone company in the world. No other drone company comes anywhere near them in technological advancement and cost-effectiveness. Basically they make cheap (as well as expensive), powerful drones that anyone can operate.
The trouble started in November of 2024, when the FCC gave themselves the power to revoke authorization from any company to use the airwaves, even if that company had previous authorization. (For the record, this is the problem with bureaucracies. They should not be able to give themselves authority.) As of December 23rd, 2025, no one in the US will be able to buy or import DJI products. This isn’t limited to drones. DJI also produces other products such as gimbals and microphones.
The ban currently doesn’t eliminate the ability for users to operate equipment they already own, but who can say how long that will last? Furthermore, drone crashes are part of the deal. It isn’t “if” you will crash, but when. So what happens when a necessary piece of equipment is destroyed beyond repair?
The crux of the argument is that DJI is a Chinese company and there are concerns that DJI devices are being used to collect data in the United States and given to the Chinese Communist Party. It is true that their devices collect data—- that is their purpose. But there has yet to be evidence produced that explicitly shows the data being given to the CCP. Furthermore, DJI has begged the US Government to audit them so they can get back to business. Those calls have been ignored.
There is some conspiratorial discussion that the DJI ban is being levied in order to create opportunity for American drone manufacturers. That said, there is no more evidence of this than the accusations against DJI. Which is to say, both could be true or both could be false.
My gut reaction to this is that it’s wrong. But the question is whether I believe this because of my generally pro- free market stance, or because selfishly the photographer in me recognizes that the loss of DJI would create a huge problem for a lot of industries, including my own.
Drones make people safer. For example, if a hiker is lost at the bottom of a ravine, drones can be sent to map out the area, rather than risk the lives of rescuers. Police can search for suspects by drone rather than just on foot. There are countless other uses for them.
I can speak directly to their use as a photographer. Drone Photography allows us to get images and video that would normally cause great risk to ourselves.
During our time working on the Jazzland Project, Jason Lanier and I made extensive use of drones. Much of the footage and stills we took would have been exponentially more dangerous without DJI drones. And some of it just would not have been possible. Getting reliable footage of the demolition of Six Flags New Orleans without a drone would have required the use of a helicopter. Drone photography changed the game and DJI changed drone photography.
I’m fully onboard with buying American, but the best American drones aren’t on the same level.
But if Chinese drones were to be used by proxy by the CCP to spy on America, that is an obvious security risk. And even if the US government were to audit them now, who is to say whether that data would be used in the future? The thing that bothers me though is that if they truly suspect the CCP to be using our drones, then why are we allowed to keep flying the ones we already have? Those can also be used as spy engines.
Some Republican lawmakers have apparently offered some pushback as the deadline approaches. This includes Senators Ted Cruz, John Boozman and John Hoeven. Whether this is a genuine attempt to solve the problem or just more politicking, I don’t know. And it is worth noting that the support for the ban is bipartisan, so it this isn’t a Left versus Right thing.
Until there are genuine answers, I am reluctant to air my drone. Unfortunately, this issue seems to be largely ignored by the public, if they are aware of it at all.
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