Dec 23, 2025Ravie LakshmananCybersecurity / Surveillance
The U.S. Federal Communications Fee (FCC) on Monday introduced a ban on all drones and significant elements made out of the country, citing nationwide safety issues.
To that finish, the company has added to its Lined Record Uncrewed plane techniques (UAS) and UAS essential elements produced out of the country, and all communications and video surveillance tools and companies pursuant to the 2025 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA). This transfer will maintain China-made drones corresponding to these from DJI and Autel Robotics out of the U.S. market.
The FCC stated that whereas drones provide the potential to boost public security and innovation, criminals, hostile overseas actors, and terrorists can weaponize them to current severe threats to the U.S.
It additionally famous {that a} additional assessment by an Govt Department interagency physique with acceptable nationwide safety experience that was convened by the White Home led to a “particular dedication” that UAS and UAS essential element components produced in overseas nations pose “unacceptable dangers to the nationwide safety of america and to the protection and safety of U.S. individuals.”
The choice, it stated, is being taken to safeguard Individuals and restore American airspace sovereignty because the nation prepares to host a number of mass-gathering occasions within the coming years, together with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer time Olympics.
“UAS and UAS essential elements should be produced in america,” the FCC stated. “It will scale back the chance of direct UAS assaults and disruptions, unauthorized surveillance, delicate information exfiltration, and different UAS threats to the homeland.”
“UAS and UAS essential elements, together with information transmission gadgets, communications techniques, flight controllers, floor management stations, controllers, navigation techniques, batteries, sensible batteries, and motors produced out of the country, might allow persistent surveillance, information exfiltration, and harmful operations over U.S. territory.”
The FCC famous that particular drones or elements can be exempt if the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) decided they didn’t pose such dangers. The ban, nonetheless, doesn’t affect a client’s capability to proceed utilizing drones they beforehand bought, nor forestall retailers from persevering with to promote, import, or market system fashions that had been permitted by the federal government this yr.
The event comes per week after U.S. President Donald Trump signed into regulation the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act for Fiscal Yr 2026, which incorporates provisions to safe airspace in opposition to unmanned plane after they current a menace to the general public.
In late July 2024, the Lined Record was up to date to incorporate Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, stopping it from instantly or not directly providing its safety software program within the nation.
