FCC Seeks to Ban Nine Companies Suspected of Rebranding DJI Drones
The regulator plans to use retroactive powers to block companies suspected of bypassing national security restrictions.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving to block nine companies suspected of bypassing US trade restrictions by selling rebranded Chinese drone technology. The federal regulator announced a proposal to ban the importation and marketing of equipment from Cogito, Fikaxo, Lyno Dynamics, Skyhigh Tech, Spatial Hover, SZ Knowact, WaveGo, Xtra, and XAG, asserting that their products pose an unacceptable risk to national security.
According to the agency, these companies are believed to be selling re-shelled DJI products under different brand names to circumvent federal restrictions. The move represents a significant escalation in Washington’s ongoing efforts to purge Chinese-manufactured surveillance and communication hardware from the domestic supply chain.
Exercising Retroactive Authority
This regulatory action marks the first time the commission is attempting to wield retroactive powers granted to it in October 2025. These rules allow the agency to revoke previous equipment authorizations for devices already on the market if they are found to originate from prohibited entities.
Historically, FCC restrictions on imported technology only applied to newly manufactured models. However, the discovery of potential workarounds has prompted regulators to target older, previously authorized hardware that has been repackaged to hide its true manufacturer.
The targeted drone manufacturer, Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI), has long been a focal point of US regulatory scrutiny. In December 2025, the FCC updated its Covered List—a registry of communications equipment deemed to threaten national security—to include all new foreign-made drones and their components.
Evading Federal Inquiries
The proposed import ban follows a series of regulatory skirmishes. Just a week prior to this announcement, the FCC proposed fining the nine implicated companies $25,000 each. The fines were triggered by their failure to respond to official inquiries regarding whether they were distributing equipment manufactured by blacklisted entities.
DJI has consistently pushed back against US restrictions. The Shenzhen-based company has maintained that allegations concerning its data security practices lack concrete evidence, characterizing the regulatory actions as market protectionism rather than genuine security measures.
To finalize the proposed restrictions, the regulator is seeking input from industry stakeholders and the general public. The agency has opened a 30-day public comment window, requesting specific evidence that demonstrates whether the nine companies are indeed distributing rebranded DJI hardware.
