DJI in the US in 2026: 25% Tariff, FCC Covered List, and What Operators Can Still Fly
There's no explicit federal ban on flying DJI in the United States — but tariffs, the FCC Covered List, and CBP holds add up to a de facto squeeze. Here's how commercial operators should think about their 2026 fleet.
Twenty-five percent. That's the tariff surcharge stacked onto DJI drones imported into the US starting in Q1 2025 piled on top of the Section 301 tariffs already in place since 2018. Before any American operator decides to swap out the fleet, one thing needs to be clear: the DJI ban in the US, the way the press likes to sell it, doesn't actually exist at least not as an explicit federal prohibition on flying. What does exist is a web of regulatory, customs, and tariff restrictions that, taken together, produce a practical effect that looks a lot like one. With nuances that change the buying decision.
So is there a federal DJI ban in the US in 2026?
As of this writing, there is no federal law prohibiting American citizens or companies from owning or flying DJI drones. What exists is a stack of restrictive layers: DJI's inclusion on the Commerce Department's Entity List (December 2020), Section 1709 of the 2024 NDAA (which directed the FCC to evaluate adding DJI to the Covered List), CBP cargo detentions under UFLPA forced-labor suspicions, and state-level restrictions Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi already block public purchases of DJI equipment with state funds.
The turning point came in December 2025, when the FCC added foreign-produced UAS and critical components to the Covered List. The measure blocks new authorizations for covered equipment but it doesn't automatically turn drones already in service into illegal hardware.
Quick definition (for anyone just catching up)
The so-called "DJI ban" isn't a single federal prohibition on ownership or operation. It's a patchwork: FCC authorization for new equipment, federal procurement and operation rules, import tariffs, and a growing set of commercial restrictions.
The 25% tariff and what it really changes at the register
Restrictions and tariffs are also pushing up the price of DJI's professional lineup in the US. Pricier equipment and components mean fleet renewals now demand a bigger check — especially for operations built around high-value platforms like the Matrice series.
For companies running larger fleets, that increase can hit CAPEX hard and turn renewal and maintenance planning into a genuinely strategic exercise.
FCC Covered List: the trigger that hasn't quite been pulled
The 2024 NDAA handed DJI (and Autel Robotics) a deadline: federal security agencies had one year to assess the risks. If no agency completed the audit in time, inclusion on the Covered List would be automatic. That window closed at the end of 2025 with no formal audit completed — which, on the strictest reading, already trips the trigger. On the softer reading (defended by DJI itself and by parts of Congress), the process requires formal FCC rulemaking before anything takes practical effect.
In practice, the FCC hasn't opened the proceeding yet. That means, in 2026, DJI drones already in operators' hands remain legally flyable. What changes if and when the Covered List is updated: new imports lose radio certification, and equipment sold after the effective date can't be marketed. The installed fleet, based on the Huawei precedent, likely gets grandfathered in — but nobody is putting that in writing.
What US commercial operators can still fly in 2026
Flying DJI remains federally permitted for Part 107 commercial operations. The real restrictions show up on four specific fronts:
- Federal contracts: DoD, Interior, DOJ, and most federal agencies have been barred from buying or contracting operations with Chinese drones since the American Security Drone Act (2023).
- State contracts in restrictive states: FL, TN, AR, and MS block DJI use on missions paid with public money — police, fire, transportation agencies.
- Critical infrastructure: utility and oil & gas operators face contractual (not legal) pressure to migrate. Duke Energy and Southern Company announced DJI phase-outs in 2024.
- Spare parts: this is the quiet problem. TB60 batteries, propellers, replacement gimbals — lead times have jumped from 2 weeks to 8-12 weeks at many resellers.
Alternatives actually winning fleet share
With restrictions on Chinese manufacturers tightening, American companies and public agencies have started evaluating options like Skydio and Freefly. The Skydio X10, for instance, is built for public safety operations and Drone as First Responder (DFR) deployments.
On the mapping and inspection side, the Freefly Astro is emerging as a serious professional alternative, supporting multiple payloads and survey workflows.
Autel Robotics deserves attention too with a caveat. Moving off DJI to another manufacturer doesn't automatically clear the regulatory and compliance risks in the US market. Autel sits on the same NDAA scrutiny list.
How to assess your fleet in 2026
- Read the contracts. Check whether your clients or funding sources impose specific manufacturer restrictions.
- Calculate the total cost. Factor in acquisition, parts, maintenance, software, training, and equipment availability.
- Pilot alternatives before replacing everything. A limited trial can surface meaningful performance and workflow differences.
- Weigh compliance. For operations tied to government requirements, the equipment's country of origin and regulatory status can matter as much as its specs.
Final thoughts
The US drone landscape has shifted meaningfully. The restrictions don't add up to a blanket prohibition on flying DJI, but they do reshape acquisition, certification, public contracting, and fleet planning.
For companies that rely on professional drones, the 2026 buying decision needs to weigh not just performance, but availability, support, cost of maintenance, and regulatory risk.
The question, in other words, is no longer just which drone performs best? It's also: which platform will still be viable for my operation two or three years from now?