US government designates drone maker DJI as a national security concern

The U.S. government on Friday added drone maker DJI to a list of Chinese companies designated as national security concerns, and by doing so, banned the export of U.S. technology to the company.

DJI was added to the so-called Entity List by the Commerce Department on Friday, Reuters reported. The move bans U.S. companies from exporting technology to the drone maker.

Specifically, the Commerce Department said it was adding DJI — along with three other companies — to the blacklist because it "enabled wide-scale human rights abuses within China through abusive genetic and analysis or high-technology surveillance."

Although not confirmed, that's likely a reference to DJI reportedly providing drones to the Chinese government. In March, Bloomberg reported that DJI drones were being used to surveil detention centers in Xinjiang.

The ban is being implemented through the same process that barred U.S. companies from exporting technology to smartphone maker Huawei.

Because of that, DJI's supply chain is likely to be snarled by the restrictions on components and parts produced by U.S. companies. It could also make it more difficult for U.S. firms to carry out transactions or sell DJI products. That's especially true if China retaliates with its own restrictions.

The Commerce Department filing does allow for a "case-by-case" exemption for products used to detect, identify, and treat infectious diseases. It isn't clear if any of DJI's products will qualify for that exemption.

While it represents an escalation of the Trump Administration's ongoing efforts against Chinese companies, the move also follows government security concerns about Chinese drones. In October, the Justice Department banned the use of agency funds to purchase foreign-made drones. Earlier in 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior grounded its drone fleet as it investigated security concerns.

Apple sells DJI drones and other products directly on its online storefront.

32 Comments

mac_dog 1083 comments · 16 Years

About 3 years ago

“Specifically, the Commerce Department said it was adding DJI -- along with three other companies -- to the blacklist because it "enabled wide-scale human rights abuses within China through abusive genetic and analysis or high-technology surveillance...”

Pot meet kettle.

viclauyyc 847 comments · 10 Years

Civilian drone technology is one thing that DJI/China do better than the rest of the world and by large margin. And they are not copying from other, they are leading.

I don’t see any meaningful drone companies from the rest of the world in this field. The other top 2 also from China, sadly. But again the market is just not that big for big tech to join in. Even other companies joined, the mass production will likely in China anyway.

The one thing that makes me hesitate to buy a DJI drone is they always send data home. I don’t know why and I don’t see the need. And I don’t trust CCP a single bit.

normang 118 comments · 17 Years

viclauyyc said:

Civilian drone technology is one thing that DJI/China do better than the rest of the world and by large margin. And they are not copying from other, they are leading.

I don’t see any meaningful drone companies from the rest of the world in this field. The other top 2 also from China, sadly. But again the market is just not that big for big tech to join in. Even other companies joined, the mass production will likely in China anyway.

The one thing that makes me hesitate to buy a DJI drone is they always send data home. I don’t know why and I don’t see the need. And I don’t trust CCP a single bit.

No, DJI Drones do not send data home.. You can chose not to have flight data, which is largely useless anyway sync'ed to a server if you wish to retain data for a long time... Its opt in as well, you have to chose to enable it. Otherwise the device which logs all your flight data will eventually fill with flight log data unless you manage it yourself. Which it does require to some degree anyway..

Plus blaming DJI for something they really have no choice in, to me is silly, I may not care one bit for the CCP or how they do things or treat their citizens, but this isn't going to change anything,

HeliBum 129 comments · 8 Years

viclauyyc said:

I don’t see any meaningful drone companies from the rest of the world in this field. The other top 2 also from China, sadly. But again the market is just not that big for big tech to join in. Even other companies joined, the mass production will likely in China anyway.

Possibly because they can't compete on price. Any drones made in the US would need to have decently paid labor whereas China can use what's essentially slave labor. This is the problem with companies sending their manufacturing over there: it sets a precedence on production cost that free countries can't meet.

anantksundaram 20390 comments · 18 Years

mac_dog said:

“Specifically, the Commerce Department said it was adding DJI -- along with three other companies -- to the blacklist because it "enabled wide-scale human rights abuses within China through abusive genetic and analysis or high-technology surveillance...”

Pot meet kettle.

No country is perfect, but there is no moral equivalence here.

If you believe there is, then put your $$ (or € or whatever) where your (supposed) principles are, and stop patronizing US products and services, starting the product that appears in your username.