Section 1709 FY25 NDAA
NDAA provision authorising FCC to ban foreign drone equipment from the US market; triggered DJI and Autel restrictions.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
How did one NDAA clause reshape the entire US drone market?
- What is Section 1709?
- A provision in the FY2025 NDAA that authorised the FCC to ban foreign drone equipment from US certification, targeting Chinese makers DJI and Autel Robotics.Source: background
- Why were Chinese drones banned?
- Section 1709 cited national security concerns about data transmission vulnerabilities in Chinese-made systems. The FCC acted on 22 December 2025 with a blanket Covered List addition.Source: background
- Can DJI still sell drones in the US?
- Previously authorised models remain legal to sell and operate. Section 1709 blocks certification of new models, not use of existing ones.Source: background
Background
Section 1709 of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act authorised the FCC to add foreign-produced drone equipment and critical components to its Covered List, blocking new equipment certifications for the US market. The FCC acted on 22 December 2025, adding all foreign-produced UAS and components in an unprecedented blanket action.
The primary targets were Chinese manufacturers DJI and Autel Robotics, which together dominated the US commercial drone market. The legislation reflects bipartisan national security concerns about data transmission vulnerabilities in Chinese-made systems. Autel subsequently sued the FCC, the first Chinese drone company to legally challenge the action.
Section 1709 works alongside FAR 52.240-1 (banning covered drones from federal contracts) and the Section 232 UAS Investigation (potential tariffs on drone components) to form a regulatory triptych squeezing Chinese drone equipment out of the US market.