DJI users urge FCC to rethink foreign-drone ban as ag operators warn on alternatives

Agricultural drone operators are pressing U.S. regulators to reverse a ban on new foreign-made drones, warning there is no affordable domestic alternative to the machines they rely on for spraying and crop work, AgFunderNews reported.

The Federal Communications Commission added new foreign-made drones and key components to its covered list in December, a designation that blocks them from being marketed, sold or imported in the United States. DJI, which dominates the agricultural spray-drone market, says it faces a potential $1.5B loss in U.S. business in 2026 and that 25 of its products are affected.

Spray-drone operators told the FCC that U.S.-made models cannot yet match the price, software and reliability of DJI’s Agras line, leaving farmers without a viable substitute mid-season. Several said they would buy domestic drones if comparable options existed.

DJI said an independent security assessment by U.S. firm OnDefend found no backdoors, no data leaving the country and no viable pathways for misuse, challenging the security rationale behind the designation.

Drones increasingly handle targeted spraying, fertilizer application and crop monitoring, making the rules a precision-agriculture concern as much as a trade one. The FCC is weighing public comments before finalizing its approach.

Source: AgFunderNews