U.S. Commerce Department drops plan for Chinese drone restrictions

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday it has withdrawn a plan to impose restrictions on Chinese drones aimed at addressing national security concerns, following an earlier crackdown on passenger cars and trucks.

Last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) barred imports of new models of foreign-made drones and critical components, including from China's DJI and Autel, on U.S. national security grounds. The FCC this week said it was exempting some non-Chinese drones from the restrictions.

The Commerce Department said in September it planned to issue rules that could restrict or potentially bar imports of Chinese drones to address information and communication technology supply chain issues. It sent the proposal to the White House for review on October 8 before withdrawing it on Thursday, according to a posting on a government website on Friday.

The FCC restrictions mean Chinese drone makers will not be able to obtain the necessary approval to sell new models of drones or critical components in the U.S. They do not prohibit the import, sale, or use of any existing drone models the agency previously authorized, nor do they impact any previously purchased drones.

The White House and Commerce Department held meetings on the drone proposal through December 19 and met with DJI officials on December 11, according to records posted online. DJI told officials that imposing blanket restrictions on drones manufactured in China would be "unnecessary, conceptually flawed, and would be extremely harmful to U.S. stakeholders."

Neither the Commerce Department nor DJI immediately responded to requests for comment.

The Commerce Department in January 2025 said it was seeking input on potential rules to safeguard the supply chain for drones, saying threats from China and Russia "may offer our adversaries the ability to remotely access and manipulate these devices, exposing sensitive U.S. data." Commerce also said in September it was considering similar rules to address concerns about medium- and heavy-duty truck imports after finalizing rules in January 2025 under then-President Joe Biden that effectively bar nearly all Chinese cars and trucks from the U.S. market over the same concerns.

The commercial truck proposal has not gone to the White House for review.

Chinese imports account for the vast majority of U.S. commercial drone sales, with more than half coming from DJI, the world's largest drone manufacturer.

(With input from Reuters)