FCC

Chinese Drone Company Sues FCC Over Blacklisting

FCC argues it had no other choice because of national security risks.

Kelcie Lee

Feb 25, 2026 — 2 min read

Photo of DJI drone putting crop cover on farm on Dec. 17, 2024 by Allison Joyce/AP.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2026 – Chinese technology company DJI sued the Federal Communications Commission on Friday for banning and blacklisting its products.

In the petition filed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, DJI argued that a FCC December ruling was unlawful on multiple grounds, including failure to follow required administrative procedures, exceeding its statutory authority by going beyond what Congress authorized and violating the Fifth Amendment by depriving DJI of due process.

DJI’s petition asked the Ninth Circuit to rule that the FCC’s decision blacklisting its drones was unlawful and to vacate or halt enforcement of the order. This Feb. 20 petition came after an initial January motion for reconsideration with the FCC, where DJI claimed severe damage to the company’s reputation and market access.

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FCC China Chinese Government Chinese drones Drones DJI DJI Technologies covered list Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau UAS

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