WASHINGTON, Feb 24 - Chinese drone manufacturer DJI said on Tuesday that it has initiated a lawsuit contesting a Federal Communications Commission decision that prevents imports of its newest drone models and certain critical components.
In a statement announcing the legal action, DJI said it has filed the challenge with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The company criticized the FCC decision for imposing a broad restriction on its U.S. operations and for blocking American customers from accessing what DJI described as its latest technological offerings.
"It carelessly restricts DJI’s business in the U.S. and summarily denies U.S. customers access to its latest technology," the company said in its statement.
The contested FCC ruling, issued in December, bars DJI, Autel and other foreign drone manufacturers from obtaining the FCC approvals required to introduce new drone models or critical components into the U.S. market. The decision does not prevent the continued sale of existing models that have already cleared regulatory requirements; rather, it targets approval paths for new products and specified components.
The company’s filing in the 9th Circuit formally challenges the federal agency’s authority or basis for the import restriction as applied to DJI and other named manufacturers. DJI framed the filing as an effort to restore access for U.S. customers to its updated product lineup.
Context and immediate effects
The FCC action means that, unless reversed, DJI and other affected foreign manufacturers will face barriers to bringing upgraded hardware and certain parts into the United States because they cannot secure the federal approvals the agency controls for those items. At the same time, the ruling allows sales of models that already have approval to continue in the U.S. market.
Procedural note
DJI’s challenge is now pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The company’s public statement frames the lawsuit as a direct response to the agency decision and asserts harm to both DJI’s U.S. business operations and to consumers seeking newer products.
Because the company and the agency will pursue their respective positions through legal and administrative channels, the final outcome and timing of any change to the FCC ruling remain to be determined by the courts and regulators.