What the Heck Is Happening With Foreign-Made Drones in the US?

A DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone with a three-lens Hasselblad camera system hovers in midair against a blurred green background.

If you’re thinking of buying a new drone this year, be aware there are major changes in the works that will affect what products are available in the US.

Late last year, the Federal Communications Commission created a major obstacle for drone makers to sell their newest products here. The commission, which has to approve devices that use radio frequencies before they can be sold in the US, added all drones made overseas, as well as any American-made drones containing major foreign-made parts, to what is known as the “Covered List” — a group of companies or technologies that are prohibited from being approved by the FCC for “economic and national security” reasons.

The ban doesn’t specify any particular drone maker, but it does cover companies based in China, such as DJI, which makes over 80% of all consumer drones detected as of late 2025, according to the drone-detection company Dedrone; Autel, another company that makes one of our drone picks; Zero Zero Robotics, manufacturer of the HoverAir line of pocketable drones; and Potensic, maker of budget-friendly camera drones. Other brands like Skyrover, which security researchers believe to be making rebranded DJI drones, as well as first-person-view (FPV) drones and drone parts that are produced overseas by countless other small makers, are also covered by this ban.



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