Banned?

 

Not to be confused with band... which I am going to be playing in later today, at Mark's house.

This morning, while outside with Murphy, I was watching some videos on my phone; while taking in the pre-sunrise sky...

 The videos?  Regarding the deadline today.  The deadline?  Yeah, today is the day that the FCC set for any other government agency to do an audit of whether or not DJI drones are a threat to national security.  If no agency intervenes (and none have), the FCC is not allowing the importation of future models of DJI drones.

There has been a lot of speculation about what that means.  Most considered it not a "ban" on DJI drones, but rather a restriction.  A new ruling has made it MUCH more than that.  The FCC has now turned over the decision of importation of any foreign-made drone or component to two government agencies: The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense).  Yes, that means Kristi Noem and Pete Hegseth will get to decide what drone and component makers will be allowed to import.  And while there are a small number of US drone makers, they use foreign components.

So, who cares?  Thanks for asking.  Over 90% of the first responders who use drones are using DJI.  This means no new drones and no repair components at the whim of these two departments.

This is a kick in the guts of those who use drones in their operations, whether commercial or public safety.  Not to mention those who fly drones for recreation.  And not just DJI, but any foreign manufacturer.  This will effectively stop the "shell" companies who are essentially using DJI components and technology to make DJI "clones" (which some say are actually owned by DJI).

Is this an issue with China spying on us through commercially sold drones or trying to give the (virtually non-existent) US drone makers a leg up?  Or, a government over-reaction to an issue that doesn't exist?

For those who have DJI drones, it will still be legal to use what you have.  But, good luck getting repair parts in the future.  Or the opportunity to buy improved technology that the rest of the world will get.