FCC Adds Pentagon Letters to DJI, Autel Proceedings

The FCC has added redacted cover pages of Department of War letters concerning DJI and Autel to the public docket while keeping the classified annexes under seal. The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau announced the move in a public notice released October 14. The notice covers ET Docket No. 26-22 for SZ DJI Technology and ET Docket No. 26-23 for Autel Robotics. Accompanying documents were signed by Michael P. Cadenazzi, who said they "identify the correspondence as a national security agency determination and response."

The documents concern letters the Department of War sent to congressional committees under Section 1709 of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. The government has concerns that entities subject to foreign jurisdictions could exploit their roles as producers of unmanned aircraft systems or critical components to harm Americans. The letters specifically reference DJI and explain that a classified annex would be transmitted through secure communications systems. The released pages do not disclose the classified annex, identify specific vulnerabilities, or provide publicly accessible technical evidence detailing how particular drones could threaten US national security.

Letters tied to ongoing national security proceedings

The newly filed correspondence relates to Section 1709 of the FY2025 NDAA and the FCC’s Covered List determinations. The FCC explicitly states that the agency did not rely on these materials when making the related Covered List additions. Section 1709 established a process for assessing whether communications and video surveillance equipment or services associated with DJI and Autel pose unacceptable national security risks.

The FCC added foreign-produced drones and critical components, alongside equipment and services covered under Section 1709, to its Covered List on December 22, 2025. That action followed a national security determination by an executive branch interagency body. The Covered List restricts new equipment authorizations, affecting the ability of covered products to enter the US market through the FCC’s equipment authorization process. It does not automatically ground drones Americans already own.

The newly filed letters relate to those ongoing proceedings. Their inclusion in the record does not mean the FCC has revealed new evidence supporting its earlier decision, nor does it mean the agency has issued a fresh security finding against either company. For US drone pilots, commercial operators and public safety agencies, this filing does not announce a new ban or change the existing Covered List status. The classified correspondence remains unavailable to the public. Whether the ongoing review produces more publicly available evidence, changes to the FCC’s position, or further restrictions is not yet clear.

Context of separate DJI challenges to FCC rules

This filing is distinct from a separate FCC proposal DJI challenged in September. That proposal could restrict the continued importation and marketing of previously authorized foreign-made drones classified as military-grade. DJI argued that the proposal could sweep in widely used civilian technologies, including thermal imaging, LiDAR, and autonomous docking systems. That separate proposal has attracted nearly 4,000 public comments.

The latest Pentagon-letter filing should not be confused with that separate rulemaking. The two proceedings address different regulatory questions, even though both could affect access to foreign-made drones in the US. In January 2026, DJI filed a petition seeking reconsideration of its inclusion, while Autel submitted an application for review. Both companies are challenging aspects of the FCC’s actions. The FCC has not announced a final resolution of DJI’s petition for reconsideration or Autel’s application for review in this notice.