Senator Rick Scott Defends FCC's DJI and Autel Ban
Senator Rick Scott urges the FCC to keep DJI and Autel drones on its national security Covered List, citing a classified Pentagon report.
The FCC added foreign-produced unmanned aircraft systems and critical components to its Covered List in December 2025. This action triggered formal legal challenges from the two major affected manufacturers, DJI and Autel Robotics.
Senator Rick Scott is pushing back against DJI and Autel's challenges to their placement on the FCC's Covered List. The FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau confirmed receipt of a letter from Scott and filed it in the official records for the manufacturers' pending cases. In the letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Scott requested that both companies remain listed. His position is supported by legislation he sponsored, Section 1709 of the 2025 defense law.
Classified National Security Assessment
Scott stated he has personally reviewed a classified Department of War report. That report concludes both DJI and Autel pose an unacceptable national security risk. "I have read and agree with the analysis detailed in the classified report," Scott said. The senator's defense extends beyond data security. He argues Chinese government subsidies and artificially low prices hurt American drone manufacturers, adding an industrial-policy dimension to the restrictions.
FCC Regulatory Process and Transition
The FCC maintains its Covered List decisions are based on existing analysis, not new classified reports. In October, the agency announced it did not rely on newly filed Department of War letters for its listing. The outcome for DJI and Autel depends on the FCC's handling of their pending challenges and broader legal proceedings. DJI's petition for reconsideration claims Congress did not conduct a sufficiently thorough review before adopting restrictions.
FCC senior national security counsel Adam Chan stated on a podcast that a ban on foreign thermal and spray drones is still being considered. The proposed ban would cover import and sale of previously approved foreign drones in military-grade categories. This includes thermal, LiDAR, spray, swarming, and docking drones, and any drone weighing 55 pounds or more. Drones already owned would not be affected. The FCC's latest notice does not establish new flight restrictions for current owners.
The agency has proposed an 180-day transition period after a final order is published. It has also exempted certain equipment categories until January 1, 2027, following a Department of War determination. Blue UAS would receive an exemption. The FCC has not yet decided on either the DJI or Autel challenge.
Industry Impact and Market Response
Market data shows the regulatory uncertainty is having a tangible effect. Spray drone sales fell 59% in 2025 according to industry figures. Estimates on the financial impact of the proposed restrictions vary. Chan cited $5 billion to $6 billion in new investment due to the ban, while the FCC's own fact sheet states over $4 billion.
Autel was included on the Pentagon's Chinese military companies list after its Commerce Department listing. The FCC's handling of the pending legal challenges will determine whether DJI and Autel remain on the Covered List.
