Why can’t they just require government agencies to purchase US-made drones? Why is this a bigger threat than any of the millions of foreign electronics used to communicate in the U.S.?
Because there's a non-trivial element of the current USG (and probably a decent sized portion of American voters) who think we'll be at war with PRC within the next couple years, at some point when the next Taiwan invasion windows open (April and October each year). From that perspective, this is prudent policy. If you don't think this is likely, or don't care about broader historical or geopolitical trends, then yes it's very annoying.
At least theoretically, there could be code in the China-made drones that allows them to be taken over in the event of a war between China and the US. In practice, this is probably just protectionist.
It's right down the street from US domestic coffee, semiconductor, game console, laptop, rare earth mineral, graphite, and banana industries. All these US industries are protected by baseline and reciprocal tariffs.
Corruption and nepotism does not get much more blatant than this. The president's son is involved in one of the American drone companies that stand to gain the most from this policy. Their investor presentation boasts about regulations as the first bullet point under the title "Our competitive advantage".
Wonder when the TrumpDrone "made in america" will be announce. Just like the TrumpPhone, no doubt it'll end up being made in China. The jokes really do write themselves.
This has nothing to do with "China spying on the US" and has everything to do with "US citizens piercing the total information control matrix and questioning the government".
DJI is a global drone company and they're popular in Japan as well for agricultural drones . I recall the head of the American branch Colin Guuin, wanted more share and control of the company and they booted him out and he started his own drone company which is not doing so well
Not sure why you're being downvoted. Even if you ignore the legitimacy of security concerns about foreign drones, this action gives more monopoly control over drones to the US government.
If some US drone manufacturer crosses the administration in some way, say in terms of backdoors or lack thereof, it's one less option for the consumer.
Think chat control in the EU but based on executive order in the US, and drones.
Why can’t they just require government agencies to purchase US-made drones? Why is this a bigger threat than any of the millions of foreign electronics used to communicate in the U.S.?
Because there's a non-trivial element of the current USG (and probably a decent sized portion of American voters) who think we'll be at war with PRC within the next couple years, at some point when the next Taiwan invasion windows open (April and October each year). From that perspective, this is prudent policy. If you don't think this is likely, or don't care about broader historical or geopolitical trends, then yes it's very annoying.
At least theoretically, there could be code in the China-made drones that allows them to be taken over in the event of a war between China and the US. In practice, this is probably just protectionist.
Its probably protectionism to protect/boost the domestic drone industry
What domestic drone industry?
It's right down the street from US domestic coffee, semiconductor, game console, laptop, rare earth mineral, graphite, and banana industries. All these US industries are protected by baseline and reciprocal tariffs.
Perhaps Trump Jr's Unusual Machines.
Corruption and nepotism does not get much more blatant than this. The president's son is involved in one of the American drone companies that stand to gain the most from this policy. Their investor presentation boasts about regulations as the first bullet point under the title "Our competitive advantage".
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2025/10/29/donald-t...
[2] https://www.unusualmachines.com/about-us/company-presentatio...
If you have a DJI drone in the US, its going to go up in value. I expect to sell my beat-up DJI Mini for at least as much as I paid in the next year.
It's even worse than that. Foreign drone-critical components are also banned.
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-updates-covered-list-add-ce...
Flight controllers? ESCs? Who knows!
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-adds-dji-other-foreig...
If the TikTok process is any guide with this administration, it's pretty predictable how this will turn out.
Every drone manufacturer is a future defense contractor.
Not sure what's going on with the content on the Reuters page (amtrak? ) but here's the content that went out on the wire:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-adds-dji-other-foreig...
weird
Do USA has a domestic drone industry?
Skydio
article seems to be about amtrak?
Wonder when the TrumpDrone "made in america" will be announce. Just like the TrumpPhone, no doubt it'll end up being made in China. The jokes really do write themselves.
And also undelivered because they don't exist.
Awesome, cool. Which consumer drone from Skydio can I bu- oh wait, I can't.
Thanks, Adam!
This has nothing to do with "China spying on the US" and has everything to do with "US citizens piercing the total information control matrix and questioning the government".
DJI is a global drone company and they're popular in Japan as well for agricultural drones . I recall the head of the American branch Colin Guuin, wanted more share and control of the company and they booted him out and he started his own drone company which is not doing so well
Not sure why you're being downvoted. Even if you ignore the legitimacy of security concerns about foreign drones, this action gives more monopoly control over drones to the US government.
If some US drone manufacturer crosses the administration in some way, say in terms of backdoors or lack thereof, it's one less option for the consumer.
Think chat control in the EU but based on executive order in the US, and drones.
Too many people have abandoned reason for madness.