Imagine your town’s search-and-rescue team grounded during a wildfire. Or your local police department unable to deploy drones to find a missing child. That’s not a far-off hypothetical — it’s a very real threat facing thousands of public safety agencies, farmers, and small businesses as Congress weighs the future of DJI drones in the US.
Under the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the US government is required to conduct a risk assessment of drones manufactured in China, including those from DJI, by December 23, 2025.
But here’s the catch: while we’re now less than six months away from that deadline, there’s no formal sign that the process has even started. As DJI explains:
We made clear then, as we do now, that we welcome the opportunity to participate in a rigorous, transparent, and fair audit. We believe our products will stand up to scrutiny because our security protections and data privacy controls are real, robust, and industry-leading.
Then came a bombshell: Last week, a group of lawmakers called on the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to complete the review within just 30 days.
That rush job is setting off alarms — not just at DJI, but across multiple industries that rely on their drones. Here’s DJI:
A credible assessment must allow time for evidence to be reviewed, and it must include meaningful opportunities for engagement, clarification, and responsible dialogue. We urge policymakers to uphold the intent of the law by ensuring that this review is transparent, grounded in evidence, and not rushed. Reconsidering the proposed timeline is essential to enable a more thorough review — one that builds trust and constructively addresses concerns.
Without a credible process, there is a real risk that new DJI drones would be prevented from entering the US market — not because of any proven risk, but simply due to a lack of due process. This would deprive thousands of businesses, public safety agencies, and everyday users of essential technology, disrupting operations, increasing costs, and limiting access to tools that support safety, productivity, and innovation.
So, what will happen if the US rushes to ground DJI drones?
We are already seeing consequences at the state level. From $200 million grounded in Florida to 90% of public safety drones in Missouri under threat, the following map shows how rushed drone bans are already hurting first responders, farmers, and small-town agencies across America:
Let’s break it down.
DJI drone ban threatens public safety
From fighting fires to locating missing persons, DJI drones are mission-critical tools for first responders nationwide. In many states, DJI drones account for 80% to 95% of all operational public safety drone units. Losing DJI would mean wiping out programs built over years, sometimes decades, with limited hope for rebuilding.
In Missouri, nearly 90% of all public safety drones would be grounded under proposed legislation. Without them, police, fire, and EMS crews lose their eyes in the sky when it matters most.
“Being forced to use inferior American-made drones would inevitably lead to preventable tragedies,” warns Captain Kyle Nordfors of Utah’s Weber County Sheriff’s Office.
In Florida, a recent survey found that 95% of agencies said the DJI ban negatively impacted their drone programs. Without these tools, time-critical missions, like locating a lost child in a dense forest, would become slower, riskier, and in some cases, impossible.
The financial fallout of grounding DJI is real
Let’s talk dollars and sense.
In Florida, the cost of grounding and replacing DJI drones is estimated at $200 million. That’s not a typo. Millions of taxpayer dollars were spent acquiring high-performance DJI drones, only to see them shelved due to political pressure.
And this isn’t just happening in one state.
The Austin Police Department says it would need $120,000 to replace its DJI fleet. For small departments and municipalities, that’s budget-breaking.
“We have a lot of departments in this state that are very small, and trying to acquire that expensive piece of equipment that is useful for the safety and welfare of our communities… it’s just expensive,” says Darrell Atteberry, Police Chief for Bel Aire, Kansas.
Forcing agencies to replace DJI drones with pricier, less capable alternatives is like demanding firefighters replace hoses with garden sprinklers — only a lot more expensive.
US-made alternatives are slower and costlier
We all want to support American manufacturing. But when it comes to drones, the domestic industry simply isn’t ready to meet the scale, performance, or affordability that DJI provides.
Take Pearland Police in Texas. They report that US-made alternatives cost three to four times more than DJI. In North Carolina, agencies say costs spiked from $2,600 per drone to over $15,000 after switching.
To make matters worse, delivery timelines for US drones can stretch up to six months, leaving agencies without critical tools for extended periods.
And then there’s actual performance. Florida, one of the first states to ban DJI drones for state and local government agencies, is already witnessing the fallout of the decision. Orlando Police Sgt. David Cruz said in an interview with the Miami Herald: “In one year and a half, we had five failures of the manufacturers on the [approved US-made alternatives] list. DJI, none. That’s going to put us in danger, our officers in danger, and the public in danger, when these drones continue to fall out of the sky.”
Farmers and small businesses stand to lose everything
DJI drones aren’t just flying cameras; they’re indispensable tools for precision agriculture, surveying, infrastructure inspection, and so much more.
According to recent surveys, 2 in 3 businesses say they would shut down if DJI drones were banned or restricted.
“The US drones are not as good as the DJI ones but cost twice as much,” said Russell Hedrick, a farmer in New Jersey.
Without DJI, farmers lose real-time crop monitoring. Utility and construction companies lose inspection capabilities. And small businesses lose revenue.
“You’re not only affecting police and fire,” said a New Jersey UAS detective. “You’re affecting a lot of other industries out there — utilities, construction, agriculture.”
Across the country, local agencies and drone operators are voicing their concerns loud and clear. In Florida, the Tampa Bay Times ran a scathing editorial questioning why the state was “grounding $200 million worth of perfectly good police drones.”
In Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Kansas, officials warn that state-level bans based on unproven allegations are already hurting essential services. And, soon, this could go national.
“Banning or restricting DJI isn’t simply a policy choice,” DJI warns. “It’s a move that could send shockwaves through the economy, disrupt essential services, and strip away tools that thousands of professionals use every day.”
DJI says it remains committed to cooperating with US authorities and supports the NDAA’s original December 2025 timeline. But it’s urging policymakers to resist shortcuts and ensure the review is done right, not rushed. Because without a credible process, we risk grounding not just drones, but innovation, safety, and American livelihoods. Here’s DJI:
The US drone industry includes not just manufacturers but also service providers, software developers, and commercial operators, many of whom rely on DJI products. These products generate more than $116 billion in economic activity across the country and support over 450,000 American jobs. It is essential to recognize the critical role that DJI plays in fostering innovation, saving lives, and supporting the livelihoods of countless individuals across America. We believe that a thoughtful and balanced approach is necessary to ensure the continued growth of the US drone industry.
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