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FCC Considers Ban on Military-Grade Drones

On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission proposed banning imports of specific military-grade drones, including models with swarming capabilities and infrared sensors, targeting China-based DJI and Autel Robotics.
The FCC's latest move reflects a "bipartisan consensus in Washington" to treat foreign drone technology as an "unacceptable risk" to national infrastructure, mirroring 2022 bans on Huawei and ZTE telecommunications equipment.
Swarm-Enabled drones "can overwhelm defenses," FCC officials noted, adding that measures are necessary to "secure the drone supply chain," though exemptions for non-military components remain in place.
Public comments on the proposal will be accepted for 30 days, with existing drones remaining unaffected; China-based DJI, which filed a lawsuit challenging previous bans, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amid a sweeping crackdown on Chinese technology, President Donald Trump recently accused China of interfering in the 2020 elections, while the FCC simultaneously works to boost domestic drone manufacturing.

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